The Lives After
by Autumn Skys
Summary: How does Harry go on after the war, with the deaths, and no point of going after anything? This is set before the 19years...HPGW, HGRW
1. Relief

This is my version about what happened after the war, before the Nineteen Years…This is my first serious FanFic, and I really hope to carry it out…

Harry woke up the next morning at noon, his hair in odd angles, messier then usual. Ron was snoring loud and obnoxiously on the other side of the curtain, and Harry promptly ignored him. He thought about what had just happened the previous night; Voldemort's defeat, Fred, Tonks, and Lupin's deaths, along with many others; and the fact that some of the people that meant so much to Harry were still alive, like Neville, Luna, Hermione, and the rest of the Weasleys.

Many of the seventh years that had remained left during the night; scared, wanting to go home, feel safe and protected, even though Harry's near-death experience had protected them all. Quietly, Harry slipped out of his bed, and opened his trunk, and getting dressed as fast as he could. He flattened down his hair hastily with his hands, and headed down to the Gryffindor common room. To his surprise, Hermione and Ginny were down there, whispering loudly, but quietly enough so that Harry could not hear them. Hermione looked up as Harry walked in. "Harry!" she said, full of warmth. "How are you feeling?"

"All right, I guess," Harry replied, looking at Ginny, who was looking right back at him. Seeing this, Hermione said nothing, until Ginny looked away with an annoyed air about her. "Well, I was going down to get some breakfast…Any of you like to join me?"

Hermione gave a sideways glance at Ginny, who glared back at Hermione. "Yes, we would," Hermione said, tugging on Ginny's arm, who was resisting slightly. "_Ginny_," Hermione hissed, and Ginny ripped her arm from Hermione's grasp and followed Harry out of the common room, speaking to no one. When they entered the Hall, it was slightly worn looking. Dust had cake up around the perimeters of the room, and some of the pieces of building that had fallen off looked as though they had been repaired rather carelessly.

As Harry sat down at the table, Kreacher Apparated, with a dish full of food. "Master did very well," Kreacher croaked. "Kreacher has been proved wrong; Master, not pure, completed pure-blood's job. Kreacher is proud of master."

"Thank you, Kreacher," Harry said, looking at Hermione, whose eyes were tearing up.

"That was beautiful," Hermione whispered, and Kreacher tried not to wince, but he Disapparated and Apparated back with two dishes for Hermione and Ginny. Harry looked around as he ate, realizing there was a few people, scattered around; the Weasleys were at one table in the far corner, and McGonagall was looking pinched and tired, but rather relieved, as were most of the other teachers, because of Voldemort's death.

Mrs. Weasley glanced up and saw the three of them sitting there, stuffing their food in their mouths as fast as they could. "Oh, there's Harry!" Mrs. Weasley cried, and she rushed forward to see him. "Harry, Harry, we all thought you'd died – what happened, dear?"

Harry realized that no one actually knew what had happened before he'd been carried in, looking dead. "Um, well…" He began, feeling Ginny's eyes on him. "Well, I was _supposed _to die." Harry hoped he didn't sound like he wanted to be dead, he didn't think he wanted to be dead. "But, since I was a horcrux, it killed that part of Voldemort in me, and then…Well, Mrs. Malfoy told Voldemort I was dead, and Hagrid had to bring me back inside…And then you know what happened from there." Ginny did not look satisfied – she knew there was more, and Harry knew that she would not rest until she knew.

"You poor, poor dear," Mrs. Weasley said, patting his cheek, and Harry turned faintly pink. Ginny gave a hint of a smile for the first time in a while that Harry had seen.

Harry quickly stood up and Kreacher took his plates, and he received many pats on the back and good comments, and he scurried upstairs until he felt someone give a firm hold on his arm. "You are going to talk to me," Ginny growled, and Harry ducked his head, nodding; and as he made his way to the dormitory, Ginny on his tail.

He sat down on his bed, and Ginny sat next to him. Ron and Neville were no longer in the room; they must have gone down to breakfast, Harry assumed. Dean had left with his parents last night, as had Seamus. "Harry…you need to tell me what happened. What was going through your mind when you decided to give yourself into Voldemort? What were you _thinking_?"

Harry stared at Ginny; instead of focusing on her light brown eyes, he focused on her red Weasley hair. "Well, I was thinking everyone would be safe, and I was right, wasn't I?"

Ginny said nothing.

"And I thought that it'd end. If I didn't let him kill me, no one would have made it. He wouldn't have wasted a second destroying Hogwarts." Harry glanced at the wall, past Ron's bed, then back at Ginny. This time, he stared her straight in the eye. "I did it for the good of everyone else."

Ginny seemed to relent, and then she seemed to give in, and she leaned in and kissed him, and Harry had flashbacks of before the quest for the horcruxes, in Ginny's room, and not being able to continue the kiss – and he kissed her back with such a need and urgency that Ginny fell backward; she ripped off his shirt, barely thinking, and hers was slowly slipped up, bunched up top. And then the door to the dorm opened, and someone said, "Oh." And Harry and Ginny stopped, paralyzed, and looked up. Standing there, looking as though he'd rather be anywhere else, was Ron. He was white, very pale, as if he did not want to imagine what he'd barged in on. "Sorry…" He muttered, trying to shut the door, but someone came up behind him.

"Oh, I have something to tell Harry…" And Mrs. Weasley was behind Ron, and she pushed by him, and then she saw Harry and Ginny, and she stopped as well. "What is going on?!" she shrieked.

Harry and Ginny hastily pulled away, Ginny pulling down her shirt and Harry throwing his back on. They were both rather red in the face, with Ron still goggling at them and Mrs. Weasley looking extremely outraged. "Well, I suppose I must give you the talk, Ginevra…You as well, Ronald, and Harry…Well, Harry never received one, so he might as well…"

Ginny looked away from everyone, between the space of Mrs. Weasley and Ron, still crowded in the doorway. Mrs. Weasley seated herself on Ron's bed. "Well, Ginny and Harry, I know you may be experiencing some more, well, _mature _feelings about each other…" Ginny turned positively bright red.

"Mum!" Ron yelled, now looking embarrassed and outraged, "Ginny already knows this, she's had Michael Corner and Dean Thomas, and now Harry –"

Ginny was shooting Ron death looks, telling him to stop, and Harry looked like he wanted to melt into the wall. "Oh, well, then," Mrs. Weasley said, looking stumped. "Later, then, but don't let me run in on you again…" She ran out, pushing past Ron again.

Ron stayed, staring at them. "What the _bloody hell _were you thinking?" he said, looking positively stunned.

"You see, that's the problem," Harry said, still very red. "We _weren't _thinking."

Ron sighed. "This is painful." Ginny was not speaking, but she'd turned ever redder; now it looked like she'd gotten one horrible sunburn after another.

"Oi, well," Ron said. "I'm going to go find 'Mione. I know she has brains, don't I?"

He left Ginny and Harry sitting there, Ginny playing with loose threads on his comforter. "Look, Ginny, I'm really sorry about –"

"My fault just as much as yours, Harry," Ginny said, and she looked at him again. "So, now that Voldemort's gone, what's next?"

Please R&R! This is one of my first FanFics, so don't be harsh…Thanks!


	2. Guilt

Okay, here's the next chapter…Hope you like it…

The funerals were set up today, in Godric's Hollow. Harry, feeling entirely responsible for all the deaths, had suggested it; and Mrs. Weasley, to Harry's surprise, had agreed. Harry had returned with the Weasleys to the Burrow, where he felt he was causing them more worry by being there. He felt he shouldn't be there, not when they had to go through all this.

But today, he could not leave. Today he was to take place at the funeral, and pay his respects. He'd been up since five thirty that morning, up before any one else. At six, he'd been dressed in his black suit as Mrs. Weasley got up, and when she saw him, shocked, she said, "Harry, dear? What are you doing up so early?" She had blearily glanced at the clock, then back at Harry, saying, "it's only six."

"I know," Harry had replied. "I couldn't sleep."

Mrs. Weasley had given him an odd look then, still sleepy. "Harry, you don't…_blame _yourself for these deaths, do you?" Her voice had been small and accusing, and Harry had had to turn away. He'd said nothing, and Mrs. Weasley's features softened. "Harry, don't blame yourself. No one else blames you, dear. Don't pressure yourself on it."

This had not changed his opinion; it was all his fault. If he had given himself in earlier, these three people: Tonks, Lupin, and Fred; would not be buried today. And Mrs. Weasley had sighed, and headed off into the kitchen to make breakfast. Ginny had woken up at seven thirty, in her blue pajamas, looking surprised to see him up at this hour. When she gave him a small smile, he did not say or do anything in return. Ginny immediately realized something was wrong, and sat next to him. "Harry?" she asked softly. "What's the matter?"

He'd said nothing for a while, and then he turned to her, and said, too softly for Ginny's liking, "It's all my fault."

"No, no, Harry, it's not!" she said, a bit shocked. He looked at her, and she looking into his green eyes, like the mother's he'd never known.

"It is though, Ginny," Harry said. "And here you lot are, being all _nice _to me, and all I've caused you all is misery!" As he said this, Harry felt a slither of truth in it, but not very much. Yet that bit of truth was something he could not live with.

"If we hadn't met you, I wouldn't be alive," Ginny said coldly.

"But that was just _luck_! Ron would've done it if he had to!" Harry argued, now staring back at her.

"Well, what about when you saved Ron? And Dad?"

"Luck, Ginny, luck! If I hadn't found Snape's book, by pure chance, then I wouldn't have!"

"What about Dad?" Ginny urged again, glaring at Harry now.

Harry said nothing.

"You see, Harry," Ginny said, looking at him more warmly. "And if I hadn't met you…well…Luna wouldn't have Dean, would she?"

And now she leaned in and kissed him, but Harry did not kiss back; she had proved one thing positively, but there was still those negatives, lingering in the air.

Ginny pulled away and sighed. "Harry, Lupin's not mad at you. Tonks wouldn't have been either. And Fred..." Ginny closed her eyes. "He would have called you a git for even acting this way about it."

Harry ran his it through his mind, trying to come up with a point in which she had not proven wrong; but he could not come up with anything, and he just sat there, looking defeated. "I suppose you're right. But I still feel awful."

"That's normal, though," Ginny said calmly, pleasantly. "Everyone feels that way." She laid her head on his shoulder, and he put his arm around her shoulder, and together they sat there together, taking each other in, until Percy walked down the stairs.

At the funeral, Harry sat next to Ginny, Dumbledore's funeral flashing through his head. Yet this time, Harry would not break up with Ginny. This time, he'd stay with her for as long as she wanted him to. On the other side of Ginny was Ron, looking white and pale, as if he wasn't sure if he wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not. And then on Ron's right was Hermione, looking frazzled and nervous, clutching Ron's hand like a lifeline.

As they listened to the speeches made by most of the Weasleys, not including Ginny and Ron, and Harry did not have enough bravery left in him to go and make a speech about the people that were there for him and no longer were.

Later, at the Burrow, no one was speaking. There was seven people around the table, feeling less crowded. Mrs. Weasley quietly served the meal. Hermione had red, puffy eyes; Ron looked detached; Mrs. Weasley looked as if she'd had several tough days, Mr. Weasley as well; George looked as if he'd just eaten something rather bitter; Percy looked like he didn't want to be who he was; Ginny looked as if she might burst into tears at any second, and Harry looked like he was made out of marble, a statue, frozen. Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, and Hermione kept giving him nervous glances, but he did not eat the food placed in front of him. He tried, with difficultly, to think of something positive.

_Voldemort's gone. _

A price has been paid.

_No more will. He's gone._

You'll complete a worry-free year at Hogwarts.

_Snape won't be there. _

Ginny will be in your year.

And that was his final thought, as Hermione cried, "Harry, will you please eat?!" Ron looked up at him blankly, with glazed eyes, and Harry felt a cloak of depression settle over them.

"I'm not hungry," Harry mumbled, looking down at the dish.

"Harry dear, please," Mrs. Weasley whispered, and to please everyone, he took a few small bites. Not any of them was satisfied by this, but they let it go. As everyone slowly stood up, their meals finished.

Harry stayed behind with Mrs. Weasley, after everyone else had left, and said, "May I help?"

"Oh, Harry, dear, there's no need…" But she faltered as Harry stood up and began waving his wand.

"Thank you for letting me stay here," he said quietly, and Mrs. Weasley stared sadly at him.

"Harry, you're always welcome here," she said, and he gave her a smile, and left to go find Ginny, the kitchen clean.

Hmm, please R&R! I hope it wasn't that bad…Please tell me! I will take supportive criticism, thanks.


	3. Question

**Thank you for the people who reviewed! Does anyone know what Ginny's birthday is? PLEASE TELL ME! And if you have any ideas that I could write about in between the nineteen years, feel free to tell me that as well…Thanks very much! And I'm really sorry I haven't updated…Had to think of a what to write about…**

It was Harry's birthday the next day, and Ginny was aiming to get Harry something spectacular, something Harry would have for the rest of his life. "Harry, what do you want for you birthday?" Ginny had asked.

"Nothing, you don't need to get me anything," Harry replied quickly, not bothering to look at Ginny's facial expression.

"Rubbish, Harry. I need to get you something!"

"No, you don't. You're a gift to me yourself."

Ginny hadn't replied as Harry unpacked his stuff by hand instead of by magic, just to stall. "Oh…Harry…" she'd began. "That's really sweet, but…I still need to get you something."

Harry didn't say anything, just shoved it away in the space the Weasley's had given him. He still felt awful; where would he go after Hogwarts? He couldn't impose on the Weasleys anymore; he had been at the Burrow the entire summer, and he'd return for Christmas. Abruptly, he sat down on Ron's bed, which was closer then his. "Ginny, where am I going to go?"

"What are you talking about?" Ginny asked, surprised. "If you mean Christmas, I thought we planned you're coming back here – "

"I don't mean that!" Harry snapped. "I mean after our seventh year."

Ginny sat down next to him, her hands in her lap. "Well…you'd come back here, wouldn't you? I mean, everyone loves you…and everyone's moving out, anyway…And with…with…Fred…gone (Ginny sniffled) there's less of us, anyway. Now it's just…Mum, Dad, Percy, Ron, and me. George's still going to work at his shop, and he hired Angelina Johnson, the Chaser?"

"Still, Ginny," Harry said, looking at the floor. "I mean, your parents have done so much for me…And I'm asking for more?"

"Harry, you don't have to stay if you don't want to," Ginny said sadly. She stood up, and started to pace the room, the floorboards creaking lightly. "But…I mean…where would you go? Your aunt and uncle have disappeared, and I don't think they'd be exceptionally glad to have you back…And Grimmauld Place is ruined now…"

They were both silent.

And then, Harry looked up at Ginny, to the back of her orange head, and she turned at looked as his green eyes. "I don't want you to leave…" Ginny whispered, and then she flung herself at Harry, pushing him on his back, and kissed him with full force. They laid there, kissing, for what seemed like hours, but was only about three minutes, until Ginny broke away, putting her weight on her elbows to look at Harry.

"Isn't there a solution in that brilliant mind of yours?" Ginny asked softly.

"Well, I've got one, but I don't think your parents will like it much…" He looked at her warily.

"Worth a try," Ginny said, shrugging, as she gently leaned off Harry, and he pushed her off delicately, stood up, and Disapparated (A/N: is that how you spell it?). Ginny was left staring at the spot where Harry had just been. She had thousand thoughts running through her head, wondering: _Did Harry just disappear for good? _

Harry Apparated about twenty minutes later, Ginny still sitting in the same position on Ron's bed. He looked the same as when he'd left, except his pocket of his jeans was bulging, and Ginny, not showing how relieved she was that he'd reappeared, asked curiously, "What's in your pocket?"

He didn't answer, just motioned for her to follow. As he made his way to the Weasley's kitchen, Ginny in tow. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were in there already, along with Percy. Then Harry looked nervous; he'd just realized he didn't even have their permission to stay after his seventh year, and he shot Ginny an alarmed look, Percy watching the transaction with narrowed eyes, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley abruptly stopped their conversation. "Mum, Dad," Ginny said, and Harry gave her an angry look. "Harry wants to know where he's supposed to go when he's graduated school."

Mrs. Weasley looked shocked at this. "Well, won't you be staying here, Harry, dear?"

Harry shrugged. "I wasn't sure, and if I am…Well, you guys have done so much for me already…And I feel like I owe you both something, so…here." He handed over a small black bag.

Mrs. Weasley accepted it, and she pulled open the tie, and dumped the contents on a lump in front of her, and her eyes grew wide. In front of her was a good sized stack of Galleons. "Oh…no…we couldn't accept this…It wouldn't be right…"

"I shan't take it back. I owe it, really," Harry said, and Mrs. Weasley stood-up and threw her arms around her daughter's boyfriend's neck. And right then, Harry felt the weight of the watch still hanging on his left wrist; he hadn't taken it off, and he doubted he would ever, except for showers and sleeping.

"So, so generous…" Mrs. Weasley sobbed. And she released Harry, and slapped Percy's hand away from the Galleons, which he had been counting.

Ron entered the room then, rubbing his eyes, yawning. He saw the coins stacked on the table and his eyes grew wide, and he said, "Blimey, where'd that come from?"

"Harry," Ginny said, holding Harry's hand, and Percy looked at them, one eyebrow raised.

"Wicked, Harry – that's a lot of money!" Ron said, going over to count the coins, and Mrs. Weasley smacked his hand away as well.

Mr. Weasley took this opportunity to count it himself, Ron and Percy watching anxiously. Arthur sat back, and ran a hand down his face. "Well, Dad?" Percy asked excitedly, but Ginny didn't seem that she cared much.

"One hundred Galleons," Arthur said.

"One _hundred_?" Ron said."_One hundred_?"

Even Ginny looked amazed now.

"Oh, no…" Mrs. Weasley said, and she scooped up some of the money. "This is too much…too much...But this can't leave you with much money…I mean, dear, when you get a house, get married, raise a family, you won't have enough money to support them if you give us this!" Ginny turned a faint tinge of pink, which did not go unnoticed by Percy and Ron.

"Yes, I will," Harry said. "I've got enough."

Mrs. Weasley did not push the issue farther but inclined her head a little, as if she were finally accepting this.

Later, Percy cornered Harry and Ginny in the family room. "So," he said, trying to have a casual tone, "from my sources, I understand you two, are…an item?"

Ginny scowled. "I am going to _kill _Ron. He can't keep his mouth shut, can he?"

"Who said it was Ron?" Percy said, and Ginny gave him a look that reminded Harry very much of Mrs. Weasley. "Well, I had suspicions, especially after that loads of money…Blimey, Harry…And then Ron did confirm them," he added sheepishly.

"Oh, well," Ginny said with a shrug. "Did Ron also tell you he's going out with Hermione?"

Percy looked a bit shocked at this. "No, he did not." And Percy headed off to go find Ron.

Ginny and Harry were left, sitting next to each other. Ginny laid her head on Harry's shoulder, and Harry leaned his head on top of hers, his arm around Ginny's shoulders. Ginny sighed deeply, and wrapped her arms around Harry's waist. "I'm glad you're staying, Harry," Ginny said, and Harry gave her a squeeze.

"So am I," he answered truthfully, and then he kissed her.

**Please R&R! Tell me if I should make my chapters longer or shorter…Thanks!**


	4. A Voldemort Free Birthday

**Fourth chapter! Yay! Enjoy, please R&R, a simple "I like it" is okay with me! **

Harry woke up to the hooting of an owl and said, "Morning Hed –" Before he realized it was not Hedwig, but Pigwidgeon "Pig", let outside by one of the Weasleys. Harry shoved on his glasses quickly, ignoring the stabbing feeling of loss by his first owl.

Harry had been staying in Bill's room recently. For the time being, Charlie and Fred and George's, now just George's, room were unoccupied. Considering that Harry would probably be remaining there until he had somewhere else to go, Mrs. Weasley had decided that Bill would be the least likely to stay in his room anytime soon, considering Shell Cottage and Fleur. Ginny poked her head in the room, and looked happy to see Harry awake. "Harry! Happy Birthday! Mum told me not to wake you, but I couldn't resist checking – don't bother getting dressed either, no one else is…And come downstairs quickly, someone's here!"

Ginny seemed extremely happy, Harry noticed. He sincerely hoped that Dean was not downstairs. As he slowly shuffled down to the kitchen, he saw Hermione there, the only one dressed. He looked at the only clock in the room; it read nine; their special clock had been buried amongst other junk when Fred's hand had pointed to 'Deceased'. "Happy birthday, Harry!" Hermione said, and gave Harry a hug. "I've got something for you, and Hagrid gave sent me something for you as well, it might be a bit of a shock to see what he got, I was rather disapproving…Anyway, here's my present." She handed him a good-sized brown package. As he slowly tore open the paper, the five Weasleys peering curiously and Hermione happily, he began to wonder what it was. From Hermione, he usually received books. Instead, what he saw was a round wall clock, looking like the one the Weasleys had buried. "Now, I know this is quite like the one that…Has disappeared," Hermione said, sounding sad, "But this is yours, Harry. Now, as you can see, I've already put hands on it…You and…"

"Is that…Ginny?" Harry asked shocked, and Ginny turned pink.

"Well, yes," Hermione said. "I thought it seemed a bit lonely for you to be sitting there all alone, so I thought, yes, Ginny would add a nice touch, wouldn't she? Oh, well, if you don't want her on your clock (Hermione rolled her eyes) you can take it away. To add another, you…" And she launched into a fully detailed explanation, which Ron completely tuned out, since he was too busy staring at the two heads on the hands, pointing towards: THE BURROW. It was pointing towards The Burrow, not Home; because they'd probably move out one day, Ron thought. And then it would be just the Burrow, not Home.

"Well," Mrs. Weasley said, looking flustered, "Here's the Weasley's present. Happy birthday, dear." Harry tore open the packaging; inside, there was a brand-new, amazing looking wand case.

"Wow," Harry said, "this is pretty amazing. Thank you." He looked at the case, and made a mental note to try to remember to put his wand in later.

Ron handed him a book; as Harry looked at it, he burst out laughing; It was the same book Harry had received from Ron last year, _Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches, _ yet underneath it, in Ron's scrawl, it read: Not That You Need It. Harry opened the page, and realized Ron had written all over it. "This is great!" Harry said.

"I thought you might like it," Ron said, smiling. "Didn't cost me any – but I knew you'd like it!" He seemed overjoyed at this.

"All right," Ginny said, pushing Ron so she could stand next to Harry, "it's my turn." She handed Harry a package, and he opened it; in it was a Snitch necklace; the Snitch had been shrunken so it didn't look ridiculously large when worn. Ginny was grinning wickedly; Hermione gave him a knowing smile; apparently she remembered that Snitch's had memory flesh as well. "Here, let me help…" Ginny said, taking the necklace and clasping it around Harry's neck, and Ron looked away oddly.

"Thanks so much, Ginny," Harry said, grinning up at her, and she grinned back, pleased.

"I'll get Hagrid's present," Hermione said, leaving the room, and second later she came back in holding an owl cage.

Harry stared at it. It was a small owl, white, with tan feathers. It had big, round, golden eyes that stared at Harry. "What's it named?" Harry asked stonily, overcome by those eyes that resembled Hedwig's so much.

"Witherwings," Hermione said, her cheeks flushing. "Hagrid said that since Buckbeak is a fake Witherwings, maybe you'd like it if it was this owl's real name…" She stopped at the look on Harry's face. "He must've felt bad, Harry. I mean, he made you get in the motorbike, with Hedwig; he must've felt awful; you can't get mad at him, Harry…"

"I'm not mad," Harry stated, but Ginny was searching him carefully.

And, saving him from further inquiries, a package fell in front of him from an owl Harry did not know, neither did anyone else. Harry picked up the package gingerly, hearing a squeak inside, he practically threw it across the table, but he unwrapped it. Inside the box under the paper was a Pygmy Puff. "Oh!" Ginny said. "She can be friends with Arnold!"

Ginny still had her Pygmy Puff from her fifth year, Arnold. "What're you going to name her?"

"Whose it from?" Ron asked, ignoring Ginny.

"_Happy Birthday, Harry – George_," Harry read from the bottom of the box. "Must've thought I'd wanted a Pygmy Puff." Percy snorted.

"You should name her…Luna," Ginny confirmed.

"Luna?" Ron chuckled. "Why would he name a Pygmy Puff after Luna?"

"I think the human Luna would be delighted," Ginny defended. "And doesn't it just remind you of Luna?" Sure enough, the Pygmy Puff was staring up at Ron with big blue eyes, like it could understand what he was saying, although they eyes had a misty glaze to them.

"Blimey," Ron said. "Luna's become a Pygmy Puff."

Ginny giggled and ran upstairs to put Luna in with Arnold, leaving Harry smiling.

"The Delacours are coming to visit - " Mrs. Weasley began, but was interrupted by Ginny.

"Ugh, _again_? Didn't they come like, last year?" Ginny groaned.

"Yes, but that was a year ago, Ginevra!" Mrs. Weasley snapped. "Anyway, Mr. and Mrs. Delacour will be staying at Bill and Fleur's, but Fleur suggested Gabrielle stay here, with all the children."

Hermione, luckily, would not be staying the night, and would probably leave before Gabrielle even arrived. Harry, Ron, and Ginny, however, were stuck.

"Oh, she's not that bad!" Mrs. Weasley said at all the blank looking faces.

The others said nothing.

"Anyway, Ginny, you'll be sharing a room with Gabrielle (Ginny growled), so maybe you'd want to get the bed set up…" And Mrs. Weasley stalked out of the room without another word.

"I'll help you," Harry said, standing up along with Ginny.

"Harry, you gave us one hundred galleons!" Ginny said with wide eyes. "You can't…_help_."

"Why not?"

"Well, you've already paid your debt, haven't you?" Ron replied for Ginny.

"Doesn't mean I can't help if I don't want to," Harry said stubbornly, as Ginny shrugged and set up the stairs, Harry following her.

Harry and Ginny worked in complete silence as they set up everything for Gabrielle; they didn't even touch the other by brushing their arms or look at each other, and they were done before they would have liked, ending in an uncomfortable silence. Ginny leaned against the wall and finally chanced a look at Harry. "Oh, for Heaven's sake," Ginny said, and she leaned forward and kissed Harry hard, her arms around his neck. Harry's arms slid around her waist, and they pressed together, fitting together perfectly against each other like two pieces of a puzzle. Harry treasured moments like these; perfect, worry-free moments…And Harry pulled away, breaking the kiss.

"I keep expecting Ron to burst in through the door…" Harry said with a grin, and Ginny grinned back, and then she continued the kiss.

"How's it going, mate?" Ron asked Harry one day, when the girls were off in Hogsmeade.

"Fine," Harry said, his nose is Ron's revised _Twelve Fail-Proof Ways to Charm Witches. _

"No…I didn't mean in general…I meant with my sister," Ron corrected.

"Oh, well, fine," Harry said grudgingly. He looked up at Ron's freckled face. "How about you and Hermione?"

"Great, actually," Ron said. "We're getting along really well, considering she's so smart and I'm such a dope…"

Harry grinned. "You're not a dope. You're just…slightly below average."

Ron pulled out his wand with a flourish. "Don't make me hex you," he threatened, and then they both grinned and laughed, and Harry bellowed, "Going to try and make me turn yellow, Ron?"

Ron's ears turned red. "It was George's fault! He told me that stupid spell, and I was only eleven! Can't expect me to not believe him, he's my older brother!"

Harry was still laughing. Ginny and Hermione entered the room then, chatting, and then looked at Harry as if he had interrupted something that was rather important. "What's so funny?" Ginny asked.

"Hermione, I never did read up on myself," Harry chortled, and Ron and Harry snorted, shaking with laughter. Ron took one look at Hermione's flushed face and laughed even harder.

"Well," Harry said, "haven't had that good of a laugh in a long time."

Ginny sat next to Harry, looking at him questioningly, and Hermione sat next to Ron. "That was our first time on the train, wasn't it?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Harry said, "help me remember, Ron – Daisies, sunshine, I am mellow, turn this big fat rat yellow?"

Ron snorted. "No, no – it was Sunshine, Daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."

Even Ginny smiled at this; all though she hadn't been present at the time, she did think the spell was pathetic. Hermione grinned, and said, "The stupid toad of Neville's – Trevor, was it? Kept losing him…"

And Harry, Hermione, and Ron all grinned at each other, remembering their first, awful meeting on the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 ¾.

**Thank you guys for reading! Please review! I had fun with the gifts, sorry if it was a little stupid…I decided most of the gifts had a message…The wand case was supposed to resemble that his wand would not need to be in his pocket at all times, and the Pygmy Puff Luna was that George was all right, even after Fred's passing. The other gifts I think are self-explanatory…I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review!**


	5. Back to Hogwarts

**Thank you guys for reviewing! I'm sorry I couldn't update for the longest time…I went away, and then my internet wasn't working and I couldn't update! So sorry! Anyway, please enjoy!**

As Harry pushed his cart though the wall to get to Platform 9 ¾, he felt an odd sense of remorse that this would be his last time on the train. His last time to order off the trolley, wanting some Cockroach Clusters or Cauldron Cakes with Ron and Hermione. Yet this time, he wouldn't faint from dementors or need to drive a jinxed muggle car to Hogwarts.

"It's a bit odd, isn't it?" Hermione said, pushing her cart in-between Ron and Harry, Ginny on the other side of Harry. "Getting on the train for the last time?"

Harry did not tell her he'd just been thinking the same thing; he just nodded along with Ron and Ginny. "Well, I'm sure Fred would've wanted us to carry on his troublemaking legacy, wouldn't he?" Harry said airily.

Ginny, surprising Harry, said, "I'm sure he would've." At this, Ron looked at his new owl, Irk, sitting in his cage and glaring back at Ron. His parents had gotten him the owl with Harry's hundred galleons, and Harry's Witherwings was sleeping (of which Ron was jealous). Ginny had received Pigwidgeon, and Hermione still didn't have an owl, but her cat, Crookshanks.

Everyone levitated their trunks onto the train, since they all were of age. All the compartments were full, but they found one with Neville tucked in the corner, alone, sadly reminding Harry of Lupin when he'd come for his third year at Hogwarts. "Neville?" Hermione said. "Didn't you finish school?"

"No," Neville replied, "no one did. Most kids got taken out, and then the rest never even started the exams when the war began."

Harry, Hermione, and Ron said nothing but avoided each others eyes.

"Well," Neville said with a sigh, "at least you guys are back."

Ginny nodded happily in agreement. "Do you mind if we sit with you, Neville?" she asked.

"No." Neville shook his head. "Luna was _supposed _to sit with me, but she wanted to go off with Dean and Seamus and sit in their compartment, along with Lavender, Parvati, and Padma."

The others just nodded. Harry felt a bit awkward being in this position, and he felt guilty as well. "Ten fifty-nine," Hermione said. "Train should be starting soon…"

At one o'clock, Ginny was starting to get agitated. "Okay, where is the trolley lady?"

"Didn't you know?" Neville said. "She got attacked by the Death Eaters last year on the trolley, when they came to take Luna, they questioned her as well. They asked her to be supporter of Voldemort, but she didn't want to, so they killed her."

The compartment was silent, and Hermione pressed her forehead to the glass, listening the hustle outside the doors. "Who brings the trolley around now?" Ron asked, his stomach grumbling loudly.

"You'll never believe it!" Neville said with a grin. "Wait till she comes around."

Ginny, who was sitting next to Harry, with his arm around her shoulders, looked at Ron, who was opposite her in silence, and the glanced at Hermione, next to Ron, looking detached, and Neville was on the other side of Ginny, against the wall. Then Ron yelled, "There's the trolley! Harry, who's pushing it?"

Harry said nothing; just stared at the person pushing it; Rita Skeeter was pushing the trolley, shouting, "Any of you want anything off this trolley?" Harry laughed loudly, enjoying the moment.

"Is that…Rita Skeeter?" Hermione asked, looking shocked.

"Yeah," Neville said, looking happy. "She still likes to write stories though, so it's a bit annoying, and she still works for the Daily Prophet, but now she's running out of ideas to write about, with Harry's book already published (Harry grimaced) so here's her extra pay."

Harry stood up as the trolley came to a halt outside their compartment's door. He yanked it open, fingering his coins, and said to Skeeter, "I'll have one of everything."

"One of everything for…" Rita Skeeter raised an eyebrow. "Harry Potter, eh? How's it going? Would you like to sit down, tell me about how you killed Lord Voldemort, word for word? How do you _feel _now that it's all done, all over? And are people mad at you for causing their loved ones deaths?"

Harry said nothing. His hatred for Rita Skeeter was rising from the depths. "May I have my sweets?" he said stonily.

"Of course you may," Skeeter clucked. "But if you ever, ever want to talk to me…Feel free." She gave him a wink, handed over the sweets, and continued to push the trolley.

Harry sat back down next to Ginny with a loud thump, causing Hermione to send him a glance for the distraction. "She's a bugger," Ron said, catching some Cockroach Clusters that Harry had thrown at him. Ginny took the Cauldron Cakes off of Harry's lap, and Harry tested Bernie Botts Every Flavored Beans.

Ginny watched him carefully as he bit down, stuffing her face with the cakes. "Not bad," Harry said. "Peppermint."

Ginny reached in his box, and pulled out a coffee colored looking bean. "Well, this one doesn't look too bad," she said with a raised eyebrow. Slowly she shoved it in her mouth. As she slowly chewed it, Ron and Harry watching intently, her face scrunched up and she started to cough.

Harry asked, "What does it taste like?" And Ron laughed, as Hermione hit him on the arm repeatedly. Harry took his handkerchief, which he never used, out of his pocket and handed it to Ginny, and she coughed up the rest of the bean, then quickly murmured a spell to clean it, and handed it back to Harry without making eye contact. "What flavor was it?" Harry asked.

"Well, it wasn't maple or anything," Ginny said. As Harry kept looking at her, trying to ignore Ron's deep chuckles, Ginny whispered, "Vomit."

Harry grinned; he'd never experienced the taste of any bean that repulsive (and of which he was glad). And Ginny finished off a Cauldron Cake, and then she leaned against Harry's shoulder, listening to Neville stuff his mouth.

"Hogwarts," Harry said, following the large bunch of students that were ahead of them. "At last!" he smiled, clutching his trunk in one hand and Ginny's in the other. Behind him, he could hear Ron struggling with Hermione's, and her pleading and his refusing for her to carry her own. Harry stifled a laugh; he hadn't felt so at home in such a long time that joy was rising in him and he tried hard not to jump around; at eighteen, it didn't seem very mature. Ginny grinned up at Harry; she was happy that he was happy, for he hadn't been in such a long time. As they reached the Fat Lady and entered the Gryffindor Common Room (the password "Heroes"), Harry looked around, trying to drink it all in. He glanced at the other relieved faces near him; Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, and more sad faces, like Dennis Creevey, whose brother Colin had died in the war.

He handed Ginny her trunk; the seal around the girls dormitory to keep the boys out had been replaced; and he and Ginny went their separate ways to put their trunks down. Ron came with Harry, walking in the same steps next to his best mate. "Feels great to be here!" Ron said happily, putting the trunk at the bottom of his bed.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, putting his trunk at the bottom of his bed as well.

"To the feast!" Ron roared, and he and Harry ran down the stairs, meeting Hermione and Ginny at the bottom, who were staring at them as if they were idiots.

"Come on," Ginny said, taking Harry's arm with a smile.

Their robes swished as they walked, and Harry tried hard not to think about how this swishing sensation that reminded him so much of Snape. They sat down at the table side by side, watching the nervous little eleven year olds, glancing around at everyone nervously.

"And now for the sorting," Slughorn muttered, leading the first years to the stool where the Sorting hat perched upon. This time, though, as Slughorn neared it, it didn't say any song. It was as if the life had been sucked out of the hat; Harry watched it apprehensively.

"Abberworthy, Mallory," Slughorn grunted from the list, and a skinny brunette girl stepped forward, and Slughorn plopped the hat on her head.

"Hufflepuff," the hat said weakly, and Harry, Hermione, and Ron shot confused glances at each other. Professor McGonagall did not look troubled; but Professor Slughorn's brow had creased.

"Andersen, Liam."

"Slytherin."

"Blithers, Sydney."

"_Gryffindor_."

The hat's voice was now getting weaker, and there was little applause from the worried members of the Gryffindor table. Harry was afraid the hat might die, if that was possible. Harry and Ginny exchanged a glance, and Harry rested his hand on her knee. They waited, not speaking, at the hat's attempts to cover the houses of all the first years.

"Rodgers, Misty."

"_Gryffindor_."

"Serge, Greg."

"_Ravenclaw_."

Harry took in the whispers of the Hat; it chilled him to the bone, how close to dead this hat sounded.

"Vegan, Jay."

"_Hufflepuff._"

Soon, all the first years were settled in their new houses, and the food appeared and everyone began to eat. Harry picked at a drumstick, and said to Ginny, "D' you think the hat's going to die?"

"Well, then how'll the new students get sorted?" Ginny replied, shoveling noodles into her mouth.

"A new bewitched hat?" Harry suggested.

"Possibly," Ginny said, and she watched Ron with delight as he shoveled his fourth serving onto his plate.

"What classes have we got together?" Harry asked Ginny as she made her way over to him in the Gryffindor common room. He was sitting in one of the chairs by the fire, his schedule in his hands, the left one with scars still visible that read: _I must not tell lies. _He stared at it for a moment, and, without realizing, his hand had reached up to trace his scar on his forehead; it hadn't pained him at all, since he'd defeated Voldemort. Yet, without the pain, everything felt too easy, too simple; never before had he spent a day with no worries about the future.

He was awoken from his daydream as Ginny made herself comfortable on Harry's lap. "You all right?" she asked softly, holding his hand with hers.

"Er – yeah," Harry said, after a pause. "Fine." He picked up the papers to make himself look busy, and studied them. "Hey," he said, finally, "they're the _exact same thing._"

"I know!" Ginny replied peachily. "Only thing is, I'm going to have to be in the same classes all day with _Ron…_"

Harry gave a half-hearted smile. "Why'd you get all the same classes? D' you want to become an Auror? Or…" He stopped, looked at her grinning face.

"No, I don't want to be an Auror, but I had to take some class, didn't I? So, I knew Ron was in all your classes – Hermione told me you both wanted to be Aurors – so I asked McGonagall what classes Ron was taking – couldn't say you, could I? – And she gave me the same schedule, because I want to play Quidditch for a profession."

_Quidditch. _The thought hadn't crossed his mind at all as he'd happily arrived at Hogwarts for his final year at all, and he just assumed he'd been too happy to think of it. "Whose the Gryffindor captain?" Harry asked Ginny.

Ginny turned a slight shade of pink. "Me."

"_You_?"

Ginny looked affronted. "Why's that so hard to believe?" she asked, standing up off of Harry.

"No, that's not what I meant…Kind of a shock…"

Ginny sat down on the couch in front of the fireplace, rather then Harry's lap. "Then I won't put you on the team, if you don't want to," Ginny said fiercely, and she stood up and left for the girl's dorm, leaving Harry gaping after her, at a loss for words. It was nearly three o'clock in the morning before Harry headed up himself.

**Wow, I feel bad for Harry…********. Hope you guys liked it! Please R&R! I hope to have another chapter up today or tomorrow. **


	6. The Phoenix

**Chapter six! Enjoy! **

Harry set off alone the next day to his first class, Transfiguration. Ron and Hermione were ahead of him, giggling and whispering. Although Harry should have been filled with love, around people to talk with, he felt really alone. Ginny was mad at him, for reasons Harry believed were beyond what they'd talked about last night, and Ron and Hermione were too busy with each other to talk to him. When they entered the classroom, Harry looked around nervously; he realized Ginny was not there. Where would he sit? Hermione and Ron were sitting at a table in the middle; Ron in the middle and Hermione to the right of him, and both were looking at Harry.

Harry stared back.

"Are you going to sit or not?" Ron asked.

Harry said nothing as he went and joined them, trying to act as if everything was perfectly fine as he took out his books and opened them up on his desk, hearing the new pages crinkle. He felt Ron and Hermione's eyes on him, but promptly ignored them. Although he pretended not to, he heard Hermione whisper, "_Ginny did say they had an argument last night, and - _" She stopped abruptly as Harry's eyes shot up to her face, and she flushed.

"Um…" she began, but Professor McGonagall walked into the room then.

"Quiet!" Professor McGonagall said. "Welcome back, seventh years, and those seventh years who've come again to complete the year that was stopped before. We also welcome those who couldn't make it last year…" She made a noticeable glance at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who all looked down at their books, ignoring the penetrating stares from other classmates.

Ginny rushed into the room then, red in the face, looking flustered.

"Glad you could join us, Miss Weasley," Professor McGonagall said, and Ginny turned even redder, and it was starting to creep up on her ears.

"Um, sorry – um, Professor, I, um - "

"No matter," McGonagall clucked. "Sit next to Neville there, and we shall return to what I was saying, before you came rushing in…"

McGonagall spun on her heel and walked back to her desk, which she'd ventured from, and Ginny looked at her hands embarrassedly.

"Today we will be working in pairs; you will transfigure your partner, hopefully correctly, into an animal. It can be any, but try not to make it a bug…We don't want to lose you, or a big animal, we don't want you to take up too much space…" There was scattered laughter around the room, before McGonagall clapped her hands and everyone jumped up, to get a partner.

Harry wanted Ginny to be his partner; he noticed was backing up, as if she didn't want to be picked. Harry shuffled over to her, looking down at the floor, and when he reached her, she didn't say anything. "Er…Will you be my partner, Ginny?" He sounded rather hoarse, considering he was nervous.

"Okay," Ginny said blandly, sounding neither delighted nor sad. She joined him in the back corner, where they swiftly avoided each others eyes.

"_Begin_!" McGonagall called out shrilly.

Harry, feeling like it would be polite, pocketed his wand to let Ginny go first. "I'll go, fine," Ginny growled, pointed her wand at Harry, and muttered something under her breath that Harry couldn't hear.

Harry felt himself morphing, and bit back a groan; he didn't want Ginny to see him the least bit vulnerable. He looked down at his newly transfigured self; he was a snake. He looked up at Ginny with a surprised (as surprised as a snake could look) face, and Ginny whispered harshly, "A snake – your true form, Potter."

Ginny straightened up as McGonagall called out, "Well, would you look at that! Miss Weasley's gotten it – fast, as well – ten points to Gryffindor!"

Hermione looked frustrated; she was having trouble concentrating enough on Ron to Transfigure him. So far, Ron had mouse ears, a tail, and a snout. Hermione also kept glancing at Harry; who lay coiled on the floor, still a snake. Ginny, looking sad, muttered a counter-curse, looking sad (apparently she liked having Harry as a vulnerable snake). Now, Harry tried to transfigure Ginny; and, as she had concentrated her anger to Transfigure him, he used his love to Transfigure her.

In awe, he watched as Ginny slowly turned into a magnificent looking Phoenix. People were beginning to glance over, and Hermione and Ron were staring at Harry with amazement, as though they hadn't thought him capable. McGonagall clutched her hands together, and gave a freaky, coming from McGonagall, grin. "Good, Potter – very good! Ten points to Gryffindor – Phoenix's are very magnificent, take a lot of care to Transfigure it into. Very, very good!"

She turned away and looked at Dean with disapproval; he had Transfigured Seamus into something with a human body and a head of a hippo. Harry Transfigured Ginny back into her normal self, and when he did, Ginny had a wet tear track running down her face. "Gin…" he began to say, but Ginny had run out of the room before he could say another word.

"Harry, how did you _do _that?" Hermione asked, running to keep up with Harry's long legs.

"Do what?" Harry mumbled, trying not to sound angry.

"Transfigure Ginny into a Phoenix!" Hermione said, sounding like that should be completely obvious. "That's skilled magic, Harry; there had to be some strong emotion that helped you concentrate!"

Harry gave a quick glance at Ron; he was watching Harry, as if he was wondering the answer as well. Harry knew he couldn't tell Hermione in front of Ron; he'd have to tell her later. "I don't know," Harry said for now.

Hermione gave him and understanding look; he figured she already knew. "Well, good luck, Harry," Hermione said, and Ron nodded in confirmation, as they entered the common room, Hermione and Ron quickly departing to the boys dormitory. As Ginny stared with anger at Harry, the common room started to empty.

"Ginny, we need to talk," Harry began, clearing his throat, as Lavender Brown scurried up the stairs after Parvati.

"Oh, Harry – you're too _kind_, too _brave_, too _noble_…Why'd you have to do that? Why'd you have to turn me into a Phoenix?" Her bottom lip trembled, and she bit it.

Harry watched her. "You deserved it. You deserved to turn into something beautiful."

"You can't just…_tell _me all these _wonderful_ things about me…And expect me to come _back _to you, with open arms! You need to let me come back to you, Harry…Give me some time…" Her eyes were tearing up.

"Ginny…please…" Harry whispered. "Please, don't…"

"You don't understand, Harry," Ginny said softly. "You _never _will."

"Oh, really?" Harry said standing up. "Well, while you're off, slowly coming back to me, what d' you want me to do? Can't you see there's no one here, at all? There's never _been_ anyone, Ginny! My mum and my dad – dead, a never got to know them, only as _ghosts_; all the people that matter to me die; Sirius, Dumbledore, Snape; and Ron and Hermione, they're together now, and now you're…" He blinked harder then usual, trying to hold back to the tears. "Now you're leaving me…And I might as well not even exist. I might as well not even have come back."

Ginny gasped at him, making strangled noises. "You bloody _arse_, you BLOODY ARSE!" Ginny shrieked, and Harry, startled, stumbled back a few paces. "How could you think that…I…_Stupefy_!"

Harry, a look of amazement on his face, hit the floor, hard. Ginny, scared of herself, let out a whimper, and raced upstairs to the girls dormitory.

"Is he waking up?" Ron's voice asked, floating over, sounding misty.

"Harry?" Hermione's voice said, sounding calm.

Someone fluffed Harry's pillows; he sat up cautiously, rubbed his eyes, and put his glasses on. "What're you all doing here?" he asked weakly.

Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Hermione, and George were all surrounding his bed. Mrs. Weasley was up near his head, Ron and Hermione at the bottom, and George still standing, watching Harry. When no one answered, Harry said, "What happened?"

"Well, Ginny Stupified you…" Ron said, and Hermione jabbed him.

"I'm sure she didn't mean to, Harry, she hasn't been talking all week…She feels awful," Hermione said.

"A week?!" Harry said, deeply shocked. "I've been in here a week? Then I've missed lots, I should go, make some classes - "

Mrs. Weasley forced Harry back down, and then she gave him a weak smile. "No, you stay here…" She turned away, rubbing her forehead methodically.

"Is Ginny okay?" Harry asked, and they all looked away, avoiding his gaze. "Is she all right?"

"Uh, well," Ron said. "She's been in a bit of a state – she reckons it's her fault, well, it is actually – sorry, Mum, but it's the truth! – and she hasn't come out of the dormitory. Everyone's been worried, she won't even talk to Hermione, even though we keep telling her you'll be fine, she doesn't seem to believe it."

Harry leaned back against his pillows. "Can someone tell her I want to see her?" Harry asked blankly, and Mrs. Weasley shot him a worried look, but before she could say anything, Hermione was off.

Mrs. Weasley, Harry, Ron, and George said nothing as they waited for Hermione's, and maybe Ginny's, arrival.

"It's my fault," Harry said softly. "It's _always _my fault…Maybe…Maybe I shouldn't come back over the holidays, or at all, for the matter, maybe I should…Go somewhere else…"

"Harry, haven't we been over this?" George asked, surprising Harry. "Stupid, really; nothing's your fault, yet here you are complaining, whining, even; get over it, Harry; nothing's your fault, and you shan't leave; Merlin, that'd make everyone just feel even more miserable…"

Harry said nothing to this. He wanted to say it wasn't true – Ginny wouldn't miss him – but he knew that was a lie. She missed him just as much as he missed her. And that's when Hermione burst in, with Ginny in tow, clutching a chubby Arnold in one hand and a tiny little Luna Pygmy Puff in the other.

Ginny dared to look at Harry, and he saw she was crying. "Oh, Harry…" Ginny sobbed, and she thrust Arnold and Luna into Hermione's hands and ran forward to sob on her knees beside Harry's bed. "Harry, Harry, I'm so sorry, I never meant…I didn't mean to hurt you…"

Harry did not touch Ginny, or give words of comfort, but plainly said, "It's all right."

Ginny stopped, her breath ragged, and said, "What?"

"It's okay."

Ginny sobbed even harder, and Mrs. Weasley lead her away.

Ron, Hermione, and George all watched Harry with pity etched in their faces.

**Well, not much of a cliffy. I could've made it one, but I'm such a HarryGinny freak I couldn't…Hehe…Anyway, please, please, please R&R! **


	7. The Triwizard Tournament

**Next chapter here… The Transfiguration thing? Yeah – I thought of it as the spell-caster Transfigured their partner into what they thought their partner's true animal should be. Enjoy!**

"Divination," Ron said, as he and Harry headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast, "is going to be better now that – Voldemort – is dead. She won't be saying, 'You're going to die by Christmas!' She'll be saying, 'You're going to get married and have twenty-seven kids and - "

"Who's going to have twenty-seven kids?" Hermione said, joining them.

"Harry," Ron replied, and Harry turned slightly pink.

"Twenty-seven kids, Harry?" Hermione said with one eyebrow raised. "That's quite a lot – if you want lots of kids, maybe you'll try seven, instead?"

"I don't want twenty-seven kids!" Harry said a bit harshly, and Ron grinned. "Ron said Trelawney would tell me I'm going to get twenty-seven kids - "

"Trelawney?" Hermione said, cutting Harry off. "You mean you're still taking that wretched woman's classes? You've defeated the Dark Lord, and you've succumbed to talking that lunatic's crazy classes - "

"Well, sometimes she's right," Ron said.

"You're _defending _her?" Hermione said incredulously.

"Well, no – she's still crazy, but, sometimes it's kind of funny, you really should come back, Hermione. Ginny's taking it now, too…"

"Really?" Harry said. "She's taking Divination?"

"Well, yeah," Ron said. "What'd you expect – she's going to switch classes because you guys had a row?"

Harry wouldn't call it just a row, but he decided not to argue. When Harry didn't reply to Ron, looking at his shoes, he caught in his peripheral vision Hermione's hand meet Ron's and clasp tightly onto it. As they entered the Great Hall, many heads flung up to get a look at them; Hermione's hand slipped away from Ron's. Many first years began to mutter to each other smartly, "Mummy's told me the one all the way to the right is the one that defeated the Dark Lord."

"That's him, _that's _Harry Potter!"

"_He's the chosen one! The Conqueror!" _

As much as Harry wanted to ignore the voices whispering his name, he couldn't. He'd heard it ever since he'd returned to Hogwarts, and he was getting sick of it. He wished they'd just shut up about it and talk about something else; they said that he defeated Lord Voldemort by himself, single-handedly, and Harry would respond angrily, mostly in his head, "I had _lots _of help." But people did not take him seriously; just thought he was modest.

He took a seat across from Ginny, who smiled at him. He gave a low smile back, and then took some toast from the platter between him and Ginny, and glanced down at the first year on his right. He looked excited to be sitting there, squashed against Harry Potter. Harry gave Ginny an irritated look, which she understand, and Ginny grinned widely at him.

After the meal, all the dishes disappeared, and owls came fluttering into the room. Many, many owls; more then usual, and the majority of them were speeding towards Harry, who's green eyes were wide and round underneath his glasses. "That must be your fan-mail," Hermione said excitedly. "I expected it to come a bit earlier, actually – I just suspect people wanted to make it perfect for you and took their time."

Letter after letter plopped in front of Harry that the pile slid to the left towards Ron. "Can we help open them?" Ron asked, and Harry nodded, shocked.

In a way, he was pleased; he had so many fans, so many people wanting to thank him… And now everyone's heads were turned, in amazement, towards Harry and his pile of letters.

Ron reached over and snatched one from the midst of the pile, ripped it open, and read it aloud.

_"Dear Harry, I think you are the most wonderful wizard, the most talented wizard, and the most best-looking wizard around. I ask one thing to you, the Hero; Will you marry me? Love, Laurie." _

"It _doesn't say that_!" Harry objected, taking the letter from Ron. He read it over silently; it said exactly what Ron had read, and now Hermione was giggling into her palm. Ginny looked torn between being crossed and amused. Harry said, "So, how should I say 'yes'?" in a sarcastic tone.

Hermione hiccupped with laughter, but Ginny just frowned. She reached for a letter herself. "This one's better," she said calmly. "_Dear Mr. Potter, I feel awful for not believing you three years ago when you said Lord Voldemort had returned. It seems as though we are now in your debt; you have defeated the Dark Lord, you have made the world safe and enjoyable. Now, we can live without fear; live without fear of dying suddenly, but his curse. We are in your debt, Harry Potter. Sincerely, Marian Rugby." _

"All right, my turn," Hermione hiccupped. She read the letter quickly to herself, and then started to giggle. Harry was wondering if he should snatch the letter from her before she could read it aloud, but he decided against it. It couldn't be any worse then another proposal. She showed the letter to Ron, who burst out laughing.

"Read it, Hermione!" Ron chortled.

"All right, all right," Hermione said, and then continued, "_Dear Harry, WE LOVE YOU!! YOU ARE THE BEST THING THAT'S EVER HAPPENED! WE LOVE YOU! LOVE, HARRY POTTER'S BIGGEST FANS." _Ron was snorting through his nose loudly; even Ginny was laughing. Hermione was snickering loudly, her head on her arms.

"Harry, apparently there are more people then Ginny in love with you," Hermione said, and Ron and Ginny stopped laughing abruptly, Ron looking at Hermione angrily and Ginny looking at Harry with an indescribable look that Harry couldn't put a name to and he wasn't sure he wanted to.

Hermione, apparently, felt Ron's gaze and looked up at the angry faces. "What?" she said.

"Nothing," Ginny said, but she was still watching Harry, who was glancing around at random things, avoiding their eyes.

"Well," said Ron awkwardly, "I reckon we should go to Divination?"

Hermione scurried from the table without saying good-bye, and Ron, Harry, and Ginny avoided each other's gaze as they headed towards Professor Trelawney's classroom.

"What do you see?" Professor Trelawney asked, blinking at Harry with her huge eyes, looking at him as though he was some rare specimen.

Harry peered into the glass ball; it seemed a little foggy, but there was no exact shape to it. Professor Trelawney bent closer. "Anything?"

"Er…not exactly," Harry said, squinting his eyes even more. Ron and Ginny were looking at him, although he could barely see them; he nose was a few millimeters away from the glass orb. "Uh… I suppose it could be a, er, boat?"

This wasn't completely true. It looked like an oval size shape with two bumps on top. "A boat! A boat means you will live in a riverboat on a nice peaceful waters, and you'll be very happy!"

Harry did not quite believe this.

Professor Trelawney moved away, and Ron gave a tiny snort. "Yeah, Harry, it's always been your dream to live on water."

"Living in the water would be kind of boring," Ginny said, tapping her chin with her finger. "I mean, you're in the middle of nowhere. There's no one to talk to but the people you live with."

Harry nodded in agreement.

After, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were all crowded in the common room, Ron bent over his Divination homework, Harry still trying to master Transfiguring a rather large pillow into a rather small glass. "How the bloody hell can a pillow become a glass?" Harry said, frustrated. He had been trying to achieve this for almost an hour now, and their was still tassels on his glass.

"Just _concentrate_, Harry," Hermione said.

"I _can't - _" Harry began to snap, but he stopped himself when Ron shot him an angry look.

"I'll help you, Harry," Ginny said with a sigh. "It's not that you're saying the spell wrong – you're saying it perfectly – it's just… You're not doing the wand movement right."

She walked around so she was behind him, and Harry felt himself get a prickly nervousness. But she just encased his hand in hers, to guide the wand movement. "Okay, now, you say the spell on three… One… Two… Three…"

And Harry said the spell and Ginny flicked his hand, moving the wand…

And the glass had no tassels.

Ginny looked at it proudly, as if it were a pet that had just won her an award; and Harry was looking at Ginny in amazement. "Where'd you learn that?"

Ginny grinned at him. "Hermione and Professor McGonagall."

And then, before Harry could register anything she'd said, her lips were on his; and his hand was entwined with her flowery-scented hair, the other on her hip, and her arms were wrapped around his neck, and Ron yelled, "Oh, _bloody hell_, not in front of us!"

Hermione giggled; but Harry managed to block them out for the most part and wrap his arm around Ginny tightly, so close that she lost her balance and he had to support her. "Ron, you don't think it's sweet?" Hermione asked.

"I reckon it would be – only that's my _sister_!"

There was a moment of silence from the pair of them.

"Don't they need air?" Ron asked, and they heard a slight sound as the back of Hermione's hand met Ron's arm.

"_Shh_, Ronald…" Hermione said, and Harry and Ginny broke away from each other, grinning at the other; and then at Ron and Hermione. Ron grunted, sounding a bit grumpy, but Hermione was beaming.

"We should go to dinner…" Ron said, and his stomach gave a loud grumble. "I'm hungry."

"Of course," Harry muttered, and Ginny and Hermione laughed. As the exited the room, Hermione took Ron's hand.

In the Great Hall, dinner had yet to be served, and Ron was getting cranky. "What's the hold up?" he muttered.

Harry was begging to wonder the same thing.

"Shush, Professor McGonagall's come…" And sure enough, Professor McGonagall was strolling towards her Headmistress chair.

She stood up in front of the large group of Hogwarts students and cleared her throat loudly. "I know," she said, as soon as all attention had been turned to her, "that usually, not many speeches are made. For third through seventh years, your first Hogsmeade weekend is coming up, this weekend. But, we have greater news. After much discussion, to which this has, we apologize, been reported late, but the three schools, Hogwarts, Durmstrang, and Beaxbatons" – Harry refused to acknowledge the knowing feeling coming over him that he knew what was about to be announced – "have decided to hold the Triwizard Tournament here, again."

There was silence throughout the room, not one word was uttered. Not even the first years made a word; the usual cheer of the older students didn't came, and they didn't know what to expect. "They can't…" Hermione whispered, and then turned fearful eyes at Harry. "Oh, Harry…"

Harry said nothing. He felt too stunned; they were holding the competition again? Why? To bring back old memories of the graveyard, of Cedric, of Mad-Eye Moody, just to haunt him? Ron was now watching him with caution as well. "But… Cedric died… They can't just… _Have _another tournament, can they?"

"We do realize," Professor McGonagall said, looking directly at Harry, "this may not be to our best decisions; however, the Triwizard Tournament is a great way to educate students in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and it's a great opportunity. The age limit will be fifth to seventh years, and they shall be selected by the Goblet of Fire."

A dull murmur spread through the crowd, and Ginny said excitedly, "I want to put my name in the Goblet!"

**Hm, I'm not sure I like this chapter much, please tell me what you think about the idea, I needed an event in the story, thank you. Please R&R! **


	8. The Grief of Loss

"What?" Harry's head snapped towards Ginny's direction. "After… After what happened… To Cedric, you're going to… _Enter_?"

"Well, yes," Ginny said, looking stubborn. "I could use the money. Buy myself a good broomstick."

"You can have mine!" Harry said, plucking at straws. "Please don't enter… You can have all my money…"

Ginny was now looking at Harry as if he were a three-headed dog.

"I'm thinking of joining, too," Ron said, tapping his finger against his chin, looking around; the air around them was starting to buzz with the chatter of other students.

"_What?" _Harry and Hermione said. Hermione held onto his arm, yanking it slightly. "_Ron_! There's a _death toll_ – don't you remember when Harry was in it?"

As much as Harry liked Hermione being on his side, he did not like that she was bringing up memories he was trying to forget, like being in the Triwizard Tournament… And getting help from someone he thought had been Alastor Moody… And when Dobby was still alive, and got him the gillyweed to help him… Each person was like a blow from a dulled knife, pounding his heart.

"Harry, are you all right?" Hermione asked, looking worried.

"Huh? What? Er – yeah," Harry replied, feeling himself turn pink.

"Well, Ron _both _of us can't join – that'd be stupid – only one of us will win for Hogwarts!" Ginny was complaining, her eyes narrowed in a Mrs. Weasley like fashion towards Ron.

"Why not?" Ron said, and Hermione rolled her eyes. "Be good for us – would show us who the tougher one is." He puffed out his chest, trying to look tough. Hermione rolled her eyes again.

"Oh, this is _ridiculous_," Hermione said, and she stood up, grabbed her books, and left the Great Hall.

Harry squirmed in his seat; he did not like the idea of his best friend and girlfriend competing in the Triwizard Tournament, although he knew they were both capable. He just couldn't shake the feeling something bad would happen to them, but he knew nothing would. It had been Voldemort's fault that Cedric had died; there would be no Cedric like reoccurrences this time. This time, it was sure to be more safe. Voldemort was dead.

"Harry, why don't you enter too?" Ron asked brightly, trying to encourage the mood.

It didn't.

"Enter _again_?" Harry said. "Well, obviously you haven't heard me this whole time – I'm never entering this competition again – made my life worse – and if you want to, that's your own decision."

And he followed Hermione's lead out of the Great Hall.

"Hello, Harry," Hermione said, without looking up, when Harry sat down at her table in the library.

"I really wish they wouldn't," Harry said, and he knew Hermione would understand.

"I know," Hermione said. "But, they're both of age; mind you, Ron's older then you… But still, after what happened to you, you'd think they'd be more hesitant…" She shook her head. "Oh, well; try to think of it this way, Harry. If Ginny wins Hogwarts champion, you'll have to dance again." She was teasing, but Harry did not think it was funny, reliving his dance with Parvati Patil in his mind.

"Ugh," he said, sliding down in the chair. "I hated that," he said bitterly. "Never was good at dancing…"

Hermione giggled. "Well, the Goblet won't be out for another two weeks; that's when the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students are coming; for Halloween. Arrive here on Halloween… Oh, Harry, are you all right?"

"That's my parent's death anniversary, isn't it?" he asked in a soft voice.

Hermione looked rather surprised. "Well, yes – yes, I suppose it is…" She put her hand on Harry's arm. "Harry, it's all right…"

He had no idea how she could say that. She had two healthy parents. Alive, standing on earth, welcoming her home whenever she wanted… Still a bit foggy, from the memory charm, but they'd turned back all right… Harry would give anything for that to be his parents, to hug his mum once, to hear '_I love you_' once in his life… He hadn't noticed the tears running down his cheeks until Hermione said, "Oh, no, Harry, please – Harry, it's okay – oh, please don't cry… Oh, Harry…"

He barely knew why he was crying. It wasn't like he hadn't thought things like this before. It wasn't like he hadn't remember Dumbledore, who'd planned his death, hadn't bothered to tell Harry; Harry, who'd missed Dumbledore, who was slowly losing everyone… Sirius had just died, a jet of light straight to the chest… And Mad-Eye, who hadn't deserved to do, who'd saved that non-worthy _Mundungus Fletcher_, Hedwig, just an innocent owl, deprived of a life that shouldn't have been stopped; Dobby, who'd only been helpful, Dobby, a knife piercing his heart… Fred, his face frozen and pale, a laugh still etched on his face, a last shining, laughing moment with his brother, before it was over, and it wouldn't happen again… Tonks and Lupin, new parents, with a little baby boy… The little baby boy, who would grow up almost like Harry had… But Teddy would be loved, surrounded by people who cared about him from the start, who'd get to sleep in a bedroom with toys, and get cakes and presents on every birthday… Who wouldn't live in a cupboard with spiders under the stairs….

"It isn't fair, is it?" Harry asked Hermione, who was sitting there, her hand on his arm, in the smallest means of comfort.

"What isn't, Harry?" Hermione asked timidly.

"Death," Harry said. "You live, you die… It's all over."

"But Harry, there's _more _to live then just death!" Hermione said shrilly. "There's happiness, and having fun, and love - "

Immediately, Hermione sensed that that had been the wrong thing to say by the look on Harry's face.

"I don't know what it's like," he said dully.

"Sure you do!" Hermione said, trying to clear up her mistake. "Sirius and Dumbledore loved you, and Lupin, and your parents…"

"Then how come they never told me, Hermione?" Harry said loudly, and Madam Pince made a shushing noise at them. "No one's ever told me… What's it like?"

Hermione said nothing. Harry understood; you couldn't explain it, you just felt it, and so far, Harry hadn't felt it. He might've caught edges, glimpses of love; but it fell out of his reach and swirled away, before he could learn it, get used to it, learn how to remember what it was like.

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said instead of answering. She had tears in her eyes now; she understood, in a way. She'd never understand completely, but she knew. "Why… why don't you go to bed, Harry, and… and… just sleep, relax… get some rest…"

Hermione was fretting, but Harry pretended not to notice, and nodded instead. "All right," he agreed, and he allowed Hermione to pull his arm to lead him up to the boy's dormitories.

"What happened to him?"

Harry had been trying to sleep for the past twenty minutes, and he'd been unsuccessful, though his eyes were closed. Hermione had never left; apparently, she'd been waiting for Ron, and apparently, she thought Harry was asleep.

"He…He had a _bit_ of a breakdown…"

"Well," Ron's voice said, "look away, Hermione, I'm changing – all right, you can look back – anyway, I was saying, he needed to cry, I mean, he hasn't yet, has he? He's been though all this stuff, and he hasn't been the least bit emotional, except a bit stony-faced. I reckon he needed to cry…"

"It was awfully sad, Ron," Hermione said, her voice barely audible. "He…he explained to me he'd never knew what love felt like…Wanted me to explain it to him…And I felt awful, I _couldn't…_" Her voice was shaking. "I didn't know _how…_You can't…_explain it_…"

"Shh," Ron said, and all though Harry couldn't open his eyes, considering he didn't want them to know he was awake, in his mind's eye, he could see Ron's arm around Hermione's shoulders. "It's all right…You did great, 'Mione… He's sleeping now, isn't he?"

"Y-yes…" Hermione said. "He's had such a tough life… He shouldn't need all this pressure any more…"

Harry tried to make his breath even, all though he wanted to say, _I wish I didn't either_, he still pretended to be asleep.

"I know," Ron said softly, "I know."

And then there was complete silence, and before Harry knew it, he'd fallen asleep.

**Bit of an emotional chapter… What'd you think? I could always picture Harry being upset around Hermione more, instead of Ginny… Ah, tell me what you think! Please review!**


	9. The Last of Quidditch

As Harry was heading back to the common room the next morning, from Charms class, he found himself not talking to anyone. Although he had Hermione and Ron on either side of him, he said nothing, and he could feel them exchanging glances. "Harry…" Hermione began, looking nervous, "are you all right?"

"Yup. Perfectly fine. Never been better," Harry replied, and tried to out-walk the other two.

Unfortunately, Ron's legs were longer. "Harry, you'll have to talk to us sooner or later."

Harry squirmed, and took one last attempt to break free, which did not help him. "I don't want to talk to anyone; just… leave me alone. I'm fine." And Ron momentarily loosened his grip, which gave Harry the opportunity to dash up to the dormitories.

"_Ron!" _Hermione squeaked shrilly, sounding agitated a loud (considering Harry could still hear them). _"You weren't supposed to let him go!" _

"Yeah, well," Ron said, sounding defensive, "he sounded like he was all right."

"He always does!" Hermione argued back. And then Harry heard a loud noise of which he preferred he really hadn't heard.

Ignoring them, he opened his Defense Against the Dark Arts book; they kept having random witches and wizards fill in, no one wanted to stay permanently, and they'd yet to have a permanent teacher. Professor McGonagall said they'd found one, but he hadn't arrived yet, "Preparing, most likely" was her cover-up, because, obvious to everyone, McGonagall was aggravated by the fact that the teacher hadn't arrived yet.

Harry scribbled down the latest Defense Against the Dark Arts substitute's homework; name the ingredients for Polyjuice Potion, the time to get ingredients, and how to make the potion. Harry had no problem with this homework, he simply found it easy, considering he had many experiences with it. The dormitory door open, and Harry, not bothering to look who it was, hastily flung his quill across the room so he could reach up and pull his curtains closed. He muttered, "_Accio Quill." _And the quill flew back to him.

A red-head stuck her head in through the curtain. "Harry?" Ginny asked softly.

"Hmm?" Harry said, scribbling more words down on the parchment.

"Are you acting this way because I want to put my name in the Goblet for the Triwizard Tournament?"

Harry chanced a look at her; she seemed really worried, and, he noticed, she seemed to care. "No," he replied. "You can enter the Tournament if you like."

Ginny took a chance as well, and sat gingerly on the edge of Harry's bed. "Harry, Ron and Hermione are really worried, they didn't want to tell me why, but I made them… Don't blame them for anything, all right? Now, what's the matter?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably. It felt odd to be questioned by Ginny; yet, he welcomed it. It was a shard of hope; someone really cared about him… And maybe, possibly, in the future, someone else would love him…

"It's nothing, really – no big deal," Harry said. _"And hair of a human, creatures like goblins and giants were not made to use the potion, to put in the potion to make it change…" _He was muttering his report, to stall.

"Well," Ginny said stonily, "I was hoping that you'd tell me yourself, but, apparently, you're not going to. Hermione said you felt alone. So what am I, Harry, some random little first year?"

"No," Harry replied stupidly.

"Well, you're sure acting like it," snapped Ginny. "Look, Harry, let me show you something…"

She reached in the pocket of her robes and pulled out a piece of parchment and shoved it under Harry's nose, who took in uncertainly, and began to read.

_Dear Ginny,_

_I hope you're doing well, final year, you're almost done! Hold on! How's Harry? Poor dear – he probably hasn't been coping too well? He seemed a bit too light-hearted – I suspect he was putting on a strong face? Well, send him our love – we're all behind him. _

_Love,_

_Mum_

Harry stared at it. And then he pushed it away, putting his head in his hands.

"I…I wish they were here," he finally said, and Ginny didn't ask who he meant. "They'd… be cheering with me, I know it. I know they were proud, they…they told me so, but… It's just not the same. If they were here, then… then, maybe, they'd… Throw a party, or something. I don't know, I wouldn't. It's just… I wish that, more then ever, they were here, but there's nothing, _nothing_, that would bring them back, and I know it, but, I just wish it wasn't true…" And then he began to cry, feeling like a small child. Was this normal, to be like this? Crying so much of deaths that happened nearly seventeen years ago?

And he felt Ginny's arms snake around him; and he felt himself cry into her shoulder, although he wished he wasn't, wished he wasn't acting so young and vulnerable, but he couldn't help it. After all these years, he couldn't help it anymore, and Ginny was here, and she _cared_, and she wasn't laughing at him, or calling him stupid, or a little boy, as Fleur had thought, in the Triwizard Tournament that had taken place four years ago, when his name had been spit from the Goblet. "It's all right, Harry…" Ginny was saying, "You're okay… It's all over… It won't happen again, everyone's here, Harry…"

And after a while of Ginny just holding him to her, he stopped crying and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I'm sorry," he told Ginny hoarsely.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Harry," Ginny said, her arms still wrapped around him.

"Yeah, I did," Harry said. "I was ignoring you all, and…"

"You've been acting normal," Ginny said. "You've lost so many people, you deserve to let go and cry." He looked at her; she was blinking hard, tears swimming in her eyes.

"Thanks," what the only reply he could think to say; and Ginny just nodded, and she held him until he fell asleep.

When Harry woke up the next morning, Ginny wasn't there, but his glasses were on the table, his homework was completed and put in a neat pile on the floor. Ron was snoring loudly nearby, and Harry gave a slight grin because of it.

He felt like he was in a really good mood; the Hogsmeade weekend was coming up, and Mrs. Weasley cared about him in secret to Ginny, and probably Ron… And he felt he should go send a letter to her on his owl Witherwings… Maybe she'd reply, and that'd make him feel even better.

_Dear Mrs. Weasley,_

_It's my first normal year at Hogwarts, except now they've put the Triwizard Tournament in it again, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. I don't think I'm going to enter, doesn't seem right, after the last one. How are all of you over there? I'm all right. Hope you all are as well. _

_Harry_

He read the letter over; really, he thought it was short, blunt, and beating around the bush a bit. He hoped she'd understand, and quickly, he raced up to the owlery and let Witherwings go before he lost the courage.

The next day, Friday, there was a reply to his letter.

_Dear Harry,_

_We're all doing fine over here! Thank you for asking. Hermione said you'd been a bit down all week, but then Ginny said you'd gotten better, and we're all happy for you. As for the Triwizard Tournament; if I were you, I don't think I'd want to join either. Too many bad memories… But that's all right. Maybe, for once, you could sit in the crowd and not be the hero, all right? Good luck!_

_Lots of Love,_

_Mrs. Weasley_

Harry grinned appreciatively; maybe he would get to be a normal person, for once. He probably would; there was nothing in his way, nothing telling him he couldn't be normal, just for one year, one Tournament.

As he passed Ginny, she said, "Harry, Quidditch try-outs later."

"All right," Harry said cheerfully, and Ginny looked at him oddly, before shaking her head with a smile and kept walking.

The position for the two remaining Chasers was first; Ginny was one already. "All right, you lot, over there; yeah, one of you, come forward…"

Dennis Creevey stepped forward, and he managed to score from very far away, and he was a fairly good broom-rider, on his Nimbus 2000. He managed to score through the middle hoop twice, and the left one once; there was no one blocking the goals, considering there was no Keeper (yet), but Creevey had good aim, compared another girl, who scored one through the right hoop, and she missed entirely on the next shot, but on the third, she hit the edge of the ring and the Quaffle bounced back and hit her full in the face.

"Someone get her to the hospital wing!" snapped Ginny in a bored tone. "All right, Chasers Dennis Creevey, and Dean Thomas." Seamus clapped Dean on the back; Dean shot Harry a triumphant look (which did not go unnoticed by Ginny) and Luna, to Harry's surprise, kissed Dean on the cheek.

"All right," said Ginny, considerably brighter, "Beaters!"

A skinny little girl stepped up, and, when Dennis shot a bludger at her, she whammed it back with surprising strength from her stick-like arms. Harry, who was trying out for Seeker, which was last, had a boring time waiting; most of the people trying out were still really little and had a tough time staying on their brooms, one nearly flew through the hoop.

Apparently, Harry was not the only one getting agitated, because Ginny was running a hand through her red hair repeatedly.

"_All _right," Ginny said now, "Beaters will be Genesis Michaels (the stick-like girl) and Frank Jones (someone Harry didn't know)."

"Keeper, now," Ginny said, and Ron stepped forward first. His face was set hard, and he blocked all the shots Dennis Creevey shot at him. One girl, Janet, missed all but the last one, which had made Ron evidently nervous. But Ron made the part as Keeper (a few people mumbled, "That's the team captain's _brother_, I've heard.")

"Seeker!" Ginny chirped. The people who hadn't made the other parts they'd wanted were now in line, and it was considerably long. "If you've already tried out for other positions, please leave."

Two-thirds of the line left, looking grumpy, shooting glares towards Ginny, who ignored them.

Harry was second in line; the girl before him was very nervous, and she her broom kept doing nose-dives towards the ground. When the girl left for the hospital wing with a broken wrist, Harry's turn was up.

The Snitch was let into the air; Harry maneuvered around on his Firebolt for a bit, before a gold glittering caught his eye, and he dived for it. He'd caught the Snitch in two minutes; the line behind him kind of mumbled something like, "He's eighteen…" But they left, feeling as though it'd be a waste of time to try.

When Harry sent his feet down on the ground, he and Ginny were both grinning. "And Seeker, Harry Potter."

Ginny and Harry smiled at each other; he'd made the team, for the last time in his life, he'd made the school team. Sadly, it hurt; this was somehow reminding him that he was going to leave this _home_, start a life…

But he had this year to look forward to. And possibly, he was looking forward to the Triwizard Tournament as well.

**Well, I wasn't actually supposed to update until this weekend, but I have nothing else to do on this week night, so I've updated. : ) I hope you all enjoyed! Any guesses on who the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be? I already know… : ) And does anyone know how to make a line across the page? I'm not sure how… Thanks! Please review!**


	10. First Trip to Hogsmeade

**Sorry this has taken me so long to come out. It wasn't easy to write, mind you, but… I hope you enjoy it! **

Professor McGonagall had just made a speech, and it was still buzzing in Harry's ears, ringing over and over disturbingly. _"There will be no Inter-House Quidditch Cup…" _But, thought Harry, they would be opening for the Triwizard Tournament… Them, against the Hufflepuffs, for victory, and then the Ravenclaws against the Slytherins before the second task, and before the final task, the two winners. It was exciting; but there wasn't many games, and Ginny wasn't too happy, she wouldn't have much to do. But, she took his hand; and together, they walked towards Hogsmeade.

"Oh, look, Harry…" Ginny said, pulling a candy off the shelf at Honeydukes. It was wrapped in a crinkly, clear paper with a familiar little picture on the front. "It's a Snitch candy!"

Harry added it to the basket; he and Ginny had already been there for about a half and hour, and there was Chocolate Frogs, Sugar Quills, and Treacle Fudge (there was no Bertie Botts Beans; Ginny wouldn't touch them since her encounter with the vomit flavored one on the train).

"Let me pay and then we'll go out and try them," said Harry, and Ginny nodded and went outside to reserve a bench.

Harry came out and joined Ginny moments later. After he'd made himself comfortable, he placed his purchases in between them, and Ginny picked up a Chocolate Frog, but Harry picked up the Snitch candy. He opened his letter package first; it had tiny, sugary little wings, which beat realistically to the real Snitch; and Harry snatched it easily as it tried to get away, considering he had good Seeker skills.

He popped it in his mouth; it tasted strangely like a lemon… "It's a Lemon Head!" he said.

"A what?" asked Ginny.

"A Muggle candy," said Harry. "Tastes sort of like a lemon – Dumbledore liked them a lot… Wonder they've made it into a Snitch candy."

Ginny nodded, and ripped open the Chocolate Frog package. The Frog immediately tried to escape, but Ginny pinched it and threw it into her mouth. "Let's see who I've gotten…" she said, and pulled out the card that was neatly against the back of the box. "Oh, you'll never believe it, Harry…"

"Dumbledore, is it?" asked Harry. "Everyone's got tons of him, Ron told me first day I met him…"

"It's not Dumbledore, Harry," said Ginny, looking at him in amazement. "It's _you_."

"Me?" asked Harry, surprised. "Why would I be on a Chocolate Frog card?"

"Why wouldn't you be?" Ginny asked. "You've defeated the Dark Lord – I mean, wow, amazing feat… Yes, they won't put you on a card because you've done something no one else has been able to do… Of _course _you're going to be on a Chocolate Frog card, Harry!"

Harry snatched the card from between her fingers and stared at his own face, staring back at him. The Harry in the card stared at Harry for one more moment before turning away and leaving the picture. With him gone, Harry's eyes traveled to the words underneath it.

_Harry James Potter, born on July 31, 1980, has done something no elder wizard could. At the young age of seventeen, in the year 1997. Harry Potter defeated the Dark Lord Voldemort, from which he had escaped many times before. The Wizarding World is in Harry Potter's dept; long-live the Boy-Who-Lived, or, the Conqueror. _

"Rubbish," said Harry, "utter _rubbish. _They make it sound like I did it single-handedly, without any help."

"Well, Harry," said Ginny, "you did actually defeat him, you know, technically… Yes, yes I know (she said this to his furious face) that Neville chopped off that snake's head, and Ron and Hermione helped you, I know, but you did the final blow… It was you and him, and that's what he thought, and it was you who held the wand that killed him."

"When you put it that way I sound dark," said Harry stonily, looking up at her face.

"You might - "

"_Harry! Harry!" _Someone was yelling. Harry looked over Ginny's shoulder; Hermione was running towards him, Ron bringing up the rear.

"You'll never guess," wheezed Ron, "who we found on the – the Chocolate Frog card…."

Ron paused. Harry was giving them very nasty looks, as if he'd just sniffed something rather nasty. "Maybe you do know," whispered Hermione softly. "Well, we think it's rather sweet."

"Yeah!" said Ron happily. "I've always wanted to be on a Chocolate Frog card. Hey, Harry, there's probably going to be lots of you… Every kid is probably going to have a card with you on it!"

This, apparently, was the wrong thing to say, because Harry's expression turned even darker. "I'm overjoyed," said Harry.

Hermione and Ron exchanged a worried glance, not bothering to look at Ginny. She sat there, feeling more then a little aggravated and stupid, from being forgotten. Ginny, looking on the verge of dangerous, said, "Why don't you just forget it?" To Ron, who looked more then surprised at this.

"Well… Blimey, Ginny, fine…" And he tugged Hermione's arm away without another word off to another shop, Hermione giving apologetic glances back at them as she was forced to leave.

"You didn't have to do that," muttered Harry.

"I can do whatever I like," said Ginny, standing up. "And now, we're going to the Three Broomsticks… I feel like a Firewhisky."

"But you're…" And then he remembered she was of age.

"But what?" said Ginny slyly. "C'mon, Harry, you can get one, too."

And they headed off towards the Three Broomsticks, leaving imprints in the snow as they went.

As soon as the door opened, people were looking frequently at them. "Well… It can't be, can it? _Harry Potter_?"

What? was Harry's immediate thought.

"Yes, yes!" boasted the barman, Tom. "Harry Potter always comes to my place – I was telling you Alfrick, wasn't I? Yes, yes, but you didn't believe me, but here is proof…."

Everyone's eyes were upon Harry, who felt more then a tad awkward. "Can we have two Firewhiskies, please?" he said finally, and Tom practically ran back to his bar.

When they received them, they were filled to the top with fizz, practically overflowing. They all watched as Harry slowly raised the mug to his lips and took a sip; he smiled as it slid down his throat, and the people seated inside clapped thunderously. Harry had no idea why they were. Ginny looked bewildered as well. Harry paid a bit extra for the mugs they were in and left quickly, so they didn't have to endure it any more.

"You'd think people would be a little more considerate," said Ginny later in the Gryffindor Common Room, leaning on her elbows so she could watch Harry and Ron play wizard chess.

"Today, in Hogsmeade," said Hermione, "someone asked me if I was Hermine Drainer."

"Who?" said Harry incredulously.

"Hermine Drainer," said Hermione. "Little old witch – was blind, I think, so she must've heard my name and confused it or something…."

"No one's messed up my name," said Harry, "although I wish they would! Then I could say I was that person, instead…"

Ron nodded. "Someone asked me if I was Harry Potter's girlfriend's sister."

"_Sister?" _asked Harry, trying to suppress a laugh.

"Yeah," said Ron. "Dunno why."

"You need a hair-cut, that's why," said Hermione, her nose still dug in her book, not interested by the chess game.

"Get off it, Hermione, you're sounding like my mum," said Ron, and said, "knight to square nine."

Harry was losing. Ron had chopped half of his pieces still, and Harry barely had a quarter.

"Harry, love, you're losing really miserably," said Ginny then, teasingly, and Harry made an indistinguishable noise in his throat.

Ginny giggled.

Ron groaned. "Ginny, would you be quiet – I'm going to lose now…"

"You're not going to lose, Harry's going to – sorry, Harry," said Ginny, trying to sound pitying, but she was grinning widely.

"Can I forfeit?" asked Harry, leaning back in his chair.

"C'mon, just let me kill you… won't take long…"

Harry was defeated by Ron five minutes later.

They were all slumped now, in front of the Gryffindor fire. After Harry's awful defeat, they hadn't said much. Hermione had finished her book now and was curled up against Ron; Ginny was sitting across Harry's lap, her hair falling off the arm of the chair they were sitting in.

"Well, I'm going to go to bed…" said Ginny with a yawn, and she gave Harry a kiss before saying, "Coming, Hermione?" And Hermione followed to the girl's dormitories.

"So," said Ron, once the door was shut firmly behind them, "how's things going with my sister?"

"Really great," muttered Harry. "D'you want any more details?"

"Not really," said Ron. "C'mon, we should go to bed, too." And they headed up for the night, too.

**How was that? I know it was rushed a bit, but there were no details it fill it up. I hope you enjoyed it, anyway! Please review! **


	11. The Hogwarts Champion

**Enjoy! Thank you to all the lovely people that reviewed, sorry this took so long for me to write, school's a killer.**

The entire school was pushed together in a large group outside of Hogwarts, waiting for the opposing schools to arrive. Ginny was to Harry's right, and in his left was a tiny mousy little first-year boy (which Harry had learned had the name of Bentley Blundersen), who barely reached Harry's elbow.

"Where do they come?" asked Bentley. "The sky, right? They've got to come from the sky! Or the ground, I guess…"

"You'll just have to wait and see…" said Harry, who knew perfectly well where the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students arrived from.

Ginny's arm was pressing against Harry's; her gloved hand was millimeters away from his own. Ron was boasting loudly to anyone that would listen that he'd met Viktor Krum the last Triwizard Tournament. Harry, desperately, was trying to forget that. He still wasn't completely comfortable with the thought of Ginny and Ron entering (neither was Hermione).

Something stirred inside the lake. "Look, Bentley," said Harry, pointing towards it.

"What is it?!" Bentley cried. "Is it a submarine?"

"What's a submarine?" asked Ginny softly to Harry.

"Isn't a submarine…" said Harry, and told Ginny, "maybe I'll show you sometime, okay?"

Ginny nodded, and watched as the Durmstrang ship rose from its watery depths. Another cry had pierced the chilly October air; a very large carriage was now flying towards them; Bentley's brunette head was swiveling back and forth, undecided on which to watch.

The Beauxbatons carriage was now enlarging; the flap in the carriage was becoming more evident, the palomino horses now gracefully becoming decipherable. "Look at that!" said Bentley excitedly, and he began to shiver and jump up and down.

As the Durmstrang ship rose and shook on the water, the Beauxbatons carriage lowered and hit the pavement gracefully, and, out stepped a too familiar face that, although Harry was not too happy, Hagrid obviously was. Waving frantically next to Professor McGonagall, Hagrid looked like a rather happy small child.

Madam Maxime, the Beauxbatons headmistress, stepped out gracefully, giving Harry a delicate wave with one of her large hands. _"Whoa," _said Bentley, quite loudly. "Who is _that_?" A lot of younger students were muttering the same thing; they had no idea who the extremely tall woman who'd just arrived at their school was.

"Welcome, welcome, Madam Maxime," said Professor McGonagall sharply, glaring at all the muttering students. "Welcome back to Hogwarts, we hope you have a good time!" Trailing behind her, exiting the carriage, were about a dozen boys and girls dressed in a matching shade of blue. They all looked scared to be there.

"Zank you, Profezzor McGonagall," said Madam Maxime in her accent, of which Bentley promptly raised an eyebrow.

"Harry, who eez theez large woman?" said Bentley, mocking Madam Maxime's accent (Professor McGonagall shot him a dark look).

"Madam Maxime," explained Harry, feeling Ginny take his hand in hers. "Headmistress of Beauxbatons. And there… Is Igor Karkaroff, headmaster of Durmstrang."

Karkaroff looked about as pleased to see Harry as Harry felt about seeing him. The man was wrapped in what looked like different animal skins, and as he grinned maliciously at Harry, his gold tooth reflecting light. "Are you going to try and enter the tournament again, Potter? Going to try and beat Durmstrang again? Vell – new batch this time – they're going to vin it for Durmstrang, beating Hogwarts - "

"I'm not entering," said Harry blankly, and Ginny's hand shifted nervously.

"Oh – what? Oh, right…" Karkaroff straightened up. "Well, that's to be reasoned with." He shook Harry's free hand in his, pointedly ignoring the one clasped in Ginny's glove.

He walked away briskly to where Madam Maxime and Professor McGonagall were muttering about something Harry could not here. "Wonder what the first task is going to be?" said Harry randomly.

"Er – I – I don't know…" said Ginny awkwardly, not wanting to think about it. (Harry reckoned she was thinking when she should put her name in the Goblet.) "We should… er, head out to the feast, shouldn't we? Everyone's going… C'mon, Harry…"

In the Great Hall, Harry took a seat next to Hermione, who was sitting across from Ron. "Any idea who the Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers going to be?" Harry asked Hermione.

"No, I've really got no idea," said Hermione moodily. "It's bothering me. He should be here by now – but he _isn't_ – and I have nothing to go at, there's no hints in the _Prophet_, or _Witch Weekly_, or, even, _The Quibbler_."

Harry grunted. "You've checked _The Quibbler_?"

"Yes, Harry," said Hermione. "I've been desperate – it's been bugging me forever - "

She was rudely cut off by Ron and Ginny's conversation, which was growing louder.

_"Let me enter the tournament, Ron!" _

_"No, _Ginny! Mum's not going to like you in the tournament, and neither am I, or Harry, or Herm - "

"Oh, right, _Ron_, and they're all going to like _you _entering the tournament, too! They're just going to _love _that idea!"

"Well – well, your Mum's little girl, she won't like _that_, and yeah, sure, Harry and Hermione care for me, but your Harry's _girlfriend_, and your Hermione's _best friend - _"

"Well, Hermione's _your _girlfriend, and Harry's _your _best friend. What's the difference?"

Harry and Hermione exchanged nervous glances.

"And we both can't win, Ron. It's not going to be a repeat of the last one – and you can't enter your name onto another school, no, do you know how _insensitive _that is? I mean, really, Harry got put it that way _against his will_ and you're going to do it _just to enter a stupid tournament_?"

"_If it's so stupid why are you entering?" _said Ron, and a couple of people looking over with agitated expressions on their faces (they were having nice conversations with a few of the Beauxbatons students, the others were seated at Ravenclaw's table).

"Because I want to _prove _myself, everyone thinks I'm _incapable_, and I _can't fight_, and I'm a measly little girl, and I'm not! _I'm not!_" shrieked Ginny; the Beauxbatons students kept glancing at Ginny with worried looks on their faces, as if wondering if she was crazy or not.

Harry coughed loudly, and Ginny shot him a bemused look, as though she hadn't realized he was there before. Ron's ears turned bright red, as he watched Hermione glare at him. "Really _swift_, Ron," she said, and Harry and Ginny were now staring at her as well. "I told you not to have another go at Ginny in front of - "

Hermione didn't continue but turned pink.

"In front of who?" asked Harry. _"Me?" _

Hermione and Ron said nothing, but looked down at their plates, which were still empty, there was still a buzz over the Great Hall, and the headmasters hadn't entered.

"Look," said Harry, "you can speak of it in front of me. Just because I don't approve of it doesn't mean I can stop either of you from entering. Just because of my past experiences with the Tournament doesn't mean that it's going to happen again - "

"It won't Harry - " said Hermione, sounding petrified.

"I won't say I like it," said Harry, rising his voice over Hermione's, "but I will support any one who makes it for Hogwarts."

Apparently, he'd said this too loud, because the entire Great Hall was turned to look at him, and he turned faintly pink. "Oh, well, _that's _real nice," said a Beauxbatons girl, who shook her glossy black hair and started talking loudly to the boy across from her, who looked petrified.

"Er – sorry…" said Harry, turning to look at his plate, and Professor McGonagall, Madam Maxime, and Karkaroff stormed in then, and the girl's noisy chatter seized immediately.

"Thank you," said McGonagall, as she made her way towards the Headmistress's chair. "Now, I have a very important announcement to make. As you all know, we are having a Triwizard Tournament. To enter the Tournament, you must be at least in year five, and you must put it in" – she made a dramatic flourish with her hand – "the Goblet of Fire. Mr. Filch?" Mr. Filch stumbled in, fiercely holding the bottom of a small table, the Goblet of Fire, Harry knew, was the tall thing under the cloth that was leaning against Filch's forehead. He made his way before the line of teachers, placed the table down in front of them, and swept the cloth off dramatically.

"Thank you, Mr. Filch," said Professor McGonagall, and he gave her and evil look before strutting off to join his cat, Mrs. Norris.

The first through fourth years, who had never seen the Goblet, leaned forward, to see what the giant cup was. "Here eez ze Goblet of Fire!" said Madam Maxime, causing Professor McGonagall to look at her rather sharply.

"Yes, yes," said Professor McGonagall. "Now, you may enter your name any time from now until tomorrow, at this time. The Goblet only stays open for twenty-four hours. Now, it is time to eat!"

Professor McGonagall seated herself, looked at her plate, and a potato appeared. Harry, remembering the last time, thought about what food he wanted, and there appeared some duck. Ginny, Hermione, and Ron, who seemed to have gotten the idea from both Harry and McGonagall, thought about what they wanted. A brunette haired Beauxbatons girl was saying loudly, "This stupid plate won't give me a Sugar Quill!"

Harry made an involuntary noise, and Ginny giggled.

"They're still using house-elves, you know," Hermione began, stopping in between to eat bits of food. "Even after the house-elves fought in the battle, they're still making our food! You know, considering V-Voldemort's gone, I think I may take up S.P.E.W. again."

"Spew? Again? It didn't work the first time," said Ron grumpily.

"Yes, well, maybe the elves will want more freedom, now that he's gone," said Hermione. "Maybe that's why they were scared."

"I doubt it," muttered Ron, but Hermione ignored him.

After the feast, when everyone was too plump and filled, they were dismissed, and they left towards their dormitories.

"I'm going to wait until everyone's in bed," said Ron, "and then I'm going to enter my name in the Goblet. Come with me, for luck?"

Harry nodded grimly, hoping they would not run into Ginny.

At midnight, Harry and Ron slipped out of the dormitories silently, and out of the common room, to which the Fat Lady murmured, "Not you two again… Waking me up at all hours…"

They ignored her, but kept walking back to the Great Hall, which, surprisingly, clots of people were gathered. The black haired girl, who had snapped back at Harry, was bravely walking up to the Goblet, and entered her name. Her friends clapped enthusiastically as she rejoined them. As if challenging the black haired girl, the brunette who'd wanted a Sugar Quill stepped forward and entered her name in the Goblet as well. One by one, the Beauxbatons students stepped forward and left the room. About ten minutes later, it was just Harry, Ron, and a Durmstrang student who was sitting there looking solemnly at Harry Potter.

"You do know," the boy said, "if the magnificent Harry Potter enters the tournament, everyone vill be mad."

"I'm not entering!" Harry snapped, exasperated. "I'm here to see _him_ put his name in!" He waved his hands in desperate movements towards Ron, who's ears were turned red again.

"Oh, vell, then, I suspect you'll come back in the very early morning and slip your name in, when no one's vatching," said the Durmstrang boy. "Very sneaky, you are, Harry Potter. Ah, vell, I have entered my name. Kirk Villiams."

Harry immediately did not like Kirk Williams.

"Yeah, well, best of luck," said Harry. "Hurry up, will you, Ron?" he added in an undertone. Sheepishly, Ron put his name in the Goblet (to which Kirk nodded approvingly). And they raced off.

"Big, annoying bloke, that Kirk, isn't he?" asked Ron agitatedly, as they made their way back. "Talking to you like that, you'd think he was scared or something – well, he should be, you'd beat the socks off of him if you were in the tournament. _Chocolate Frogs_," he said, as they had reached the Fat Lady again ("Do you _ever _stay in bed?").

"Can't wait to see who makes it in the Tournament," said Harry, before taking off his glasses and flopping down to sleep.

The morning was bright and sunny, but Harry's mood did not rise. Ginny had been ignoring him; he knew she'd put her name in the Goblet, and she must've felt really bad about it. Ron, on the other hand, was as happy as ever, and he came with Harry and Hermione to go see Hagrid.

When they reached Hagrid's hut, Hermione quickly started to bang on the door with her fist. "Hagrid, it's us!" said Hermione loudly, and the door opened quickly.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione!" said Hagrid joyfully, beaming at them, and they grinned right back. "Thought yeh lot had forgotten 'bout me. Well, I expected yeh ter be busy, ter be hones'. Firs' year without You-Know-Who hangin' down yer neck, Harry, how's it feel?"

"Great," said Harry, being completely honest. "Really, really, great." He sincerely meant this. He felt great, free, even, for the first time since he could remember. He was here, spending a careless day with Ron, Hermione, and Hagrid, and possibly later, even Ginny.

Hermione, who had been smiling at Hagrid, was now smiling at Harry instead.

"Any of yeh enter the Tournament?" Hagrid asked, looking directly at Harry.

"No," said Harry.

"No," said Hermione, with a sigh.

"Yes," said Ron chirpily, and Hagrid looked at him, not bothering to hide his shock.

_"Yeh've entered, Ron?!_" asked Hagrid, while Ron nodded and beamed. "Well, I hope yer win, no one else better, 'cept yeh two, but considering yeh're not entering… Well done, Ron!"

"Are you sure he's the best for the Tournament?" said Hermione, and Harry got an unpleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Did you know his little sister, Ginny, is entering as well?"

"Ginny?" said Hagrid dumbly.

"Yes, Ginny," said Hermione. "They've had row after row about it, because, you know, they both can't win, but they both entered anyway. Never came to a decision on who."

"Oh, well," said Hagrid. "Yer both really good people, so, whichever wins, wins." Hagrid, Harry noted, looked extremely uncomfortable at the moment. "Now, yeh should all go, practice Quidditch, yeh know, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are opening the tournament, yeh know. Go, now, sunny day."

Ron scowled as Hagrid practically shoved them out the door. "What did you have to go and do that for, Hermione? Now Hagrid's going to be in an awful position, when I win, then what's he going to say to Ginny?"

"What makes you so sure you'll win?" said Hermione, looking less unsure and more angry.

Harry sighed loudly, and they both looked at him.

"Oh, right, sorry, Harry," said Hermione, and she trudged ahead of them back to the castle.

Later that day, gathered in the Great Hall, Harry felt depressed. Now it was almost time to see who had made it into the tournament. Hermione looked nervous, and she kept opening and closing her Transfiguration book, and then putting it in and taking it out of her bag. Ron and Ginny sat stonily, Ginny next to Hermione and Ron next to Harry.

Professor McGonagall stood up and cleared her throat then, and all the talking ceased. "Now, our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, who promised he'd be here for the Triwizard Tournament, has failed to arrive on time. Although, if lucky, he should be arriving any moment." A buzz of whispers settled over the crowd. "_Now_," said Professor McGonagall loudly, over all the talking, "The Goblet of Fire should release the names at any moment."

The entire Great Hall was deathly silent as Professor McGonagall strode forward to the Goblet, and there were collective gasps as the Goblet glowed red, and then blue as it shot out a first piece of parchment. "The Durmstrang champion is," Professor McGonagall began, "Kirk Williams."

Ron groaned as the big, burly boy they'd met strode forward, looking completely selfish, with Karkaroff trailing behind, to the door which Professor Flitwick was standing, motioning them to go through.

As the Goblet glowed again, and spit out another piece of parchment, McGonagall snatched it expertly and read, "The Beauxbatons champion is Clementine Bryony." The black haired girl, whom had called Harry rude, stepped forward, shaking her glossy black hair snootily, and she and Madam Maxime exited through the same door.

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione had all stopped breathing as the Goblet of Fire glowed red for the third and final time. A piece of parchment flew out, and Ron said, "I know it's mine, my parchment looked _just like that_!"

"The Hogwarts champion is," said Professor McGonagall, her voice quivering, "Ginny Weasley."

There was thunderous applause from the Gryffindor table, except for Ron, who was sitting there looking defeated. Grinning, Ginny stood up and was followed by Professor McGonagall into the same room.

Harry was feeling defeated, but in a way, very happy. Ginny, he hoped, would win. She could win, he knew. But, he didn't have time to ponder on it, for, at that moment, the doors flew open and someone walked in, doubled over, gasping for breath.

"S-sorry I'm l-late…" he said, and Harry was sure his eyes were deceiving him.

Standing there, before him, was Percy Weasley.

**I could've just left out that last sentence and made it an awful cliffhanger, but I didn't. I'm being too nice at the moment, because I've been in a bad mood for a bit and I'm trying to bring that mood up. Well, please make my day and review… **


	12. Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff

**Okay, sorry I forgot Karkaroff had died, thanks to all who reminded me! So just play along for now that Karkaroff is alive, and when the story is done I will go back and change it to Ivan Karkaroff as his brother, but I don't want to confuse everyone at the moment, so for right now it's just Igor. Thank you all, now please, enjoy!**

"Percy?" stuttered Ron, looking absolutely too shocked for words. "My brother Percy? Why is Merlin's bloody socks would he be Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? Well, yeah, he's smart and all, but… _teach_?"

Harry thoroughly agreed with this. He couldn't believe it either. Why would Percy suddenly become Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, during the Triwizard Tournament? Surely, it was just a coincidence? Had Percy wanted to make sure they didn't enter? _Bit late_, thought Harry irritably, _Ginny's already been chosen. _He knew he should be happy; yet, part of him felt sad that for once, he was not getting all the glory.

Hermione's mouth was slightly open, looking a bit like a fish. _"Percy?" _she said, echoing Ron. "I – I can't believe it."

Apparently, she was not the only one. Many people all over the hall that new of the Weasleys were whispering as well. Luna Lovegood, though, stood up from the Ravenclaw table and began to clap.

No one joined her. Now they were staring at Luna with obvious annoyance, or staring at Percy with complete shock.

Percy was beginning to notice this as her shook the last of the dirt of his worn cloak. "Er – right. Well, I'm – er - Professor Weasley, new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, if you haven't figured that one out. Where's the rest of the teachers?"

He was, apparently, asking the entire Hall in general, because the teachers were now muttering amongst themselves ("Is it just my eye sight getting worse?" asked Professor Flitwick). Professor Slughorn was talking earnestly to Professor Sprout, and they both kept giving fleeting glances to Percy, or, as Harry now realized he should be calling him, Professor Weasley.

Percy, trying to regain control, strolled down the middle row of tables, and made his way to Ron, Harry, and Hermione. "So, where's Ginny?" he asked. "And McGonagall?"

"With the other champions," said Harry teasingly; he wanted to see the look on Percy's face.

"Ginny's a – a _champion? _But, that can't be right! Ginny's just, well, _Ginny – _she's not Head Girl, or Prefect, or – well, I suppose she is Quidditch Captain…"

Ron looked irritable. "So I'm not Head Boy, either. And I entered. And Harry wasn't Head Boy, but he became champion - "

"As I remember," said Percy, rocking on his heels (a few Hufflepuff girls giggled), "Harry was the only one entered for his school, so, considerably, there was no other options _but _Harry."

_What a fun year of Defense Against the Dark Arts this is going to be…_

As Percy went to join Professor McGonagall and Ginny, Ron groaned. "He's going to fail me. I'm going to get an awful N.E.W.T., and Percy can tell Mum just _why_…"

Even Hermione looked scared. "I didn't even get an O O.W.L.! And, these are_ much _harder, so, maybe I'll get a P! Or, even worse, a D! Or a _T_!"

"Why the bloody hell would you get a T? The worst you'll get is an A (Hermione gave a horrified face) but I doubt you'll get that," he added hastily, "surely you'll get an E or an O."

"An O?" said Hermione, sounding a bit threatening. "I didn't get an O on my O.W.L.! How am I supposed to get an O on a N.E.W.T. if I didn't get an O on an easier level?"

"To think I thought you'd lightened up…" murmured Ron under his breath; Hermione, however, heard him, and aimed a hard kick at his shin, which he thin rubbed, cursing.

"Exciting, being in the Tournament, isn't it, Harry?" asked Ginny that night as they curled up together in front of the Gryffindor Common Room fire. Ron was dozing in an overstuffed armchair, with Hermione slowly nodding off against his legs, the quill looking like it was about to fall out of her hand.

"Ehm," muttered Harry indistinctly. He didn't feel like thinking much at the moment; in fact, what he really wanted to do was go to bed and sleep.

"Tired?" asked Ginny, her head against Harry's chest.

"Yeah," said Harry. "What d'you think of Percy being the D-Defense teacher…" Harry yawned loudly and widely.

"I think it's great," said Ginny with a sigh. "Percy took it really hard, you know… _his _death… reckons it's his fault, you know. We've tried to tell him it's not his fault, but… doesn't seem to care. I think this is his way of sort of… showing the world he didn't want it, like it…"

Ginny yawned as well.

"They look peaceful, don't they?" she said slowly and sleepily, nodding slightly to indicate Ron and Hermione.

"Yeah," said Harry. "They… they d-do…"

The next thing that happened to Harry was he was getting rudely shaken awake by someone who seemed to be holding his shoulder and shaking it violently. "Harry, Harry, you've got to wake up – opening Quidditch game for the Tournament!"

It was Hermione towering above him, looking fearful.

"Ron told me to give you a few more minutes, get myself something to eat while he went and changed – and then he _fell asleep. Ruddy fell asleep…_" Hermione shook her head, as if to clear the thought. "So, anyway. _You're _late – and Ginny's getting mad at the two of you. So, hurry!"

Seconds later, he and Ron, panting, arriving to the rest of the team; Dean was looking tall and well-groomed, like he'd been up for hours, while Dennis looked like he'd just been woken up from a really good dream and as really annoyed that it'd been stopped. Genesis Michaels, the unusually small beater, had hairs poking from the side of her head, resembling the end of a broomstick. Frank Jones, the other beater, was stretching (Harry couldn't figure out why). Ron and Harry, however, looked no better then the lot of them, with the exception of Dean and Ginny.

"Finally," growled Ginny as they set foot on the field. The Quidditch match in an hour, and you barely - "

"It's in an _hour_?!" said Harry disbelievingly. He glanced at his watch; sure enough, it was only eight-thirty in the morning. The Quidditch game didn't start until half past nine.

"Ugh, Ginny!" said Ron. "Could've gotten some more sleep…"

"Not the way I've seen you play!" snapped Ginny, looking angrily at Ron, who cowered away (fiercely reminded of his mum).

Satisfied, Ginny continued.

"Now, we don't want to make a fool of ourselves in front of Madame Maxime and Beauxbatons, and Karkaroff and the Durmstrang lot. And, anyway, the entire school will be watching; it is, after all, the opening to the Triwizard Tournament. Now, we need to win against Hufflepuff, d'you understand? We need to be in the final match, against Ravenclaw and Slytherin, depending on who wins before the second task. Now, if we lose, we will be teased, made fun of, until Ravenclaw or Slytherin lose. All right, now – positions, okay? We're tossing around the Quaffle for a bit, McGonagall's let me borrow it. I don't think she normally would, but she hadn't been in her right mind, lately – bit overworked and a bit old to be being overworked. Right – well, we're just going to pass it for now, okay? Need to improve our reflexes – especially you, Ron, don't want you messing it up."

Ron's ears turned red.

Ginny, who had the Quaffle, passed it lightly to Harry with a tiny smile, and Harry through it just as gingerly as she had to Genesis; he was afraid if he'd thrown it too hard, he'd break her face. But, she caught it with surprising strength, and, luckily she was not a Chaser, threw the Quaffle at Ron. The Quaffle soared above the middle hoop, and Ron shot his broom straight upward; the Quaffle dipped back down, and Ron, desperate, tried to make his broom level; he missed the Quaffle, but the back of his broom hit the top of the middle hoop, and Ron held on as his broom vibrated with resounding pangs.

"Oh, really _swift_, Ron…" said Ginny, rolling her eyes. "We don't hit the hoops…."

Ron, growling menacingly at Ginny, got back into position in front of the middle hoop, Harry having retrieved the Quaffle.

A bit nervous now, Harry threw it toward Frank; Frank took a wild swing, apparently thinking he was Beater, and it flew across the circle of them and hit Dean right in the face.

"Oi!" yelled Dean, as blood gushed from his nose. "It's bleeding, Frank – didn't you _hear _Ginny, we were passing the Quaffle, not playing _Beaters_!"

Angrily, he tried to mop up the blood with his sleeve.

"Here, have this," said Ginny in a bored tone, handing Dean a piece of purple candy. "George's – your nose isn't broken, is it?"

"Dunno," said Dean lazily, slowly chewing on the piece of candy. Immediately after he swallowed, the bleeding ceased. "Amazing, these inventions are," he muttered to himself, gliding back into position.

Genesis had gotten the Quaffle this time, and she passed it towards Harry, who caught it with ease and threw it toward Ron's right hoop, which he dived and caught, and Genesis clapped enthusiastically.

Then they practiced throwing and catching in dives, and then they all tried to score against Ron (only Ginny scored past him, making him even more angry). But soon, their hour of practice was up; people were strumming and whistling onto the field, and before they knew it, the stands were filled. "Okay, good luck, everyone!" said Ginny cheerily; the practice had gone well.

As they took their places around Madam Hooch, Harry couldn't help but notice Luna Lovegood standing behind the podium, a cheery looking Professor Flitwick beside her.

Madam Hooch blew her whistle, and Harry floated eagerly over the other thirteen players below him.

"It's a bit of a mad rush for the Quaffle at the moment – oh, yes, Ginny Weasley, Chaser on Gryffindor, a good friend of mine, she's good at Quidditch – what? Oh, yes, she's got the Quaffle, and she's heading towards the Hufflepuff keeper… Oh, no, Parker from Hufflepuff's stolen it – new Beater Genesis Michaels just shot a Beater at the Chaser without the Quaffle. Oh, well, at least she's hit it."

Professor Flitwick squeaked, "Luna! _Thomas has the Quaffle!_"

"Oh, yes, quite right, Professor," said Luna cheerily. "Oh, well, yes, Dean Thomas – he's an amazing player, and more then a friend – oh, sorry, Professor, I know you're not interested in my social life, I know I'm commentating the Quidditch game, yes, I'll get back to it and stop rambling – so, Dean Thomas is getting closing in on Leery, the Keeper for Hufflepuff. Oh, he's faked it! Leery dives left as Dean shoots left – well, to Leery's right – and…. HE SCORES! AMAZING JOB, DEAN! So anyway, it's ten-zero, to Gryffindor."

Harry, frantically, was glancing around the pitch. It was too warm for October. And everything was glinting… Was that the Snitch, or a mirror? "Come on, Harry!" yelled Ginny, grinning at him.

"Now Weasley, Ginny Weasley, has the Quaffle, oh, she's good, look at how she navigates! Oh, she's stopped by Tosh – but Creevey's stolen it… Creevey's going to Leery… Closer… Closer… And he scores! Twenty-zero Gryffindor!"

"Oh, Flowers, the third Chaser on Hufflepuff, he looks quite livid… Oh, no, he's stolen the Quaffle from Dean! And now Weasley, Ginny Weasley, she's tailing him… Ah, he's gotten too far ahead of her, she's never going to catch up! Oh, right… Nearing on Weasley, Ron Weasley, not Ginny… The Keeper! Yes, Professor, I know everyone knows who they are! Anyway, Flowers is nearing, Weasley looks nervous – the Keeper one – Well, Ginny looks nervous, too – Yes, Professor, I suppose I should just call them by their first names. So anyway! Flowers is there… And… Ah… He's scored. Twenty-ten, to Gryffindor still."

The game was inching by slowly. It was neck and neck; anyone could still win. Daisy Raines, the Hufflepuff Seeker, was slowly circling around the pitch. She, like Harry, was apparently having trouble locating the Snitch.

"There is apparently no Snitch today… Both Raines and Potter are having trouble… Bit reflecting today, glinty, would be hard to be a Seeker…"

Harry was desperately trying to ignore Luna. To be honest, it was making his game harder. He couldn't concentrate as well.

Then, leading his Firebolt, he dove around a bit. Then – there… Was that the Snitch, under Parker's foot? He dove for it, and Parker gave a shout of surprised and glided away angrily, as Raines dove after Harry. On her Nimbus Two Thousand and One, she wasn't a match for Harry's Firebolt, yet it was considerably fast. Raines was right behind him now, and Parker aggressively was trying to form a block with Flowers. Harry tried to do a nose-dive to get out of their way, and barely managed it; a twig snapped off the end of his broom as he reached forward – his fingers outstretched – barely there – and Raines accidentally bumped into his arm, and his hand clasped around the small Golden Snitch, Raines groaning.

The stands cheered as Harry hit the ground; Ginny hit the ground roughly and ran towards Harry, throwing her arms around his neck. "That was _excellent_, Harry – amazing catch, what, did Raines bump into you to or something?"

Harry, feeling overjoyed, having just played Quidditch, nodded; Ron came and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "_Brilliant_, Harry!" said Ron.

Cheering, the Gryffindor team huddled happily, giving each other compliments on how they played the game. But the cheering stopped as Kingsley Shacklebolt's voice boomed over the audience and said, "Good job Gryffindor House team. Now, in five minutes, will you be ready for the first task of the Triwizard Tournament?"

Loud applause followed this statement, and Ginny ran wildly toward the locker rooms to change for her first task, which she knew about; Kirk Williams had told her about it, but she wasn't sure why.

**Hope you liked! I hope that the Quidditch wasn't too drawn out, I enjoyed writing it, though! Please review!**


	13. The Hat's New Task

**Sorry for the long update, I didn't know how to begin. Thanks to my friend, Jess, I've come up with the first task! Please R&R, thanks! )**

Ginny rushed from the Quidditch pitch, her scarlet robes trailing behind her. Harry watched her go before Ron took his arm and said, "C'mon, Harry, lets go get decent seats with Hermione, before they're all taken up."

Harry, slightly worried, let himself be lead. He was unsure of what he was supposed to feel. The majority of him was saying to go rip out some of Ginny's hair and take a Polyjuice Potion, but that would definitely make Ginny hate him for the rest of his life, which he certainly did not want. Or, he could go sit in the seats and talk to Ron and Hermione, worrying about Ginny's life…

She wouldn't die, though.

Feeling slightly sadder then he had at the end of the Quidditch match; they found Hermione close to the front of the stands, a Gryffindor hat perched atop her head, her Gryffindor scarf wrapped loosely around her neck, and wearing black gloves. "How's Ginny?" asked Hermione. "She got out of here so fast…"

"Nerves," said Ron, who'd turned green. "She doesn't know what the first task is. Clementine Bryony claims she does, but, judging by how she looks right now, I'm guessing she doesn't…"

"Where _is _the first task?" asked Harry suddenly, realizing that they were still staring at an empty Quidditch pitch.

"Oh, right!" said Ron. "Forgot you didn't know. Well, see, they get all the champions in the tent… And then… Well, last time it was dragons, and they pulled them out of the forest…"

Harry understood. Hermione was biting her sleeve with nerves. "We've gone over many jinxes and hexes, Ginny and I," said Hermione. "But it was really difficult, because neither of us had any idea what on earth the first task could be!"

"She has no idea?" asked Harry hoarsely, and Hermione shook her head. Harry felt a knot in his stomach that seemed to grow, as he waited… And then there was a rustling from the trees… And… What the heck?

First, poking out from the mass of green leaves, was the overlarge head of a lion, swaying dangerously… And then… What looked like a shaggy goat body followed the lion head. The crowd had frozen, and someone yelled, "What the ruddy hell is that?!"

Dangerously, the lion head swiveled towards the crowd; and then it roared, making the nearest students screech and begin to panic. "No one panic!" said the voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt calmingly. "It has been trained by Ministry professionals to not harm anyone, unless upset, of course, which I strongly advise you do not."

"_Upset?" _said Hermione. "But… surely, surely, the champions must need to upset it somehow to reach their goal…"

Harry's head had frozen. He was overcoming about fifty-hundred emotions at once. Relief, because it couldn't be that hard, after all, it wasn't the size of a dragon… Just… a lion. With… a dragon tail. Okay, maybe more then one similarity to the dragon task…

The champions had come outside to look at the Chimaeras as they filed out; three of them, each making a straight line against the edge where the champions stood. Ginny and Clementine visibly gulped, and Kirk tried to hide his nervous expression under a defiant one.

"Your first task," said Kingsley, "is to get past the Chimaeras, where, laying, is the Sorting Hat from Dumbledore's office. The only thing you have to do is get the Hat before the others. A race, if you will."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief, but Hermione groaned. "Oh, this is awful! They'll have to get past the Chimaeras first, and that won't be easy. Chimaeras are classified as highly dangerous by the Ministry for a reason!"

Nervously, Harry watched Ginny. Her freckles seemed even more profound as usual against her uncharacteristically pale skin as she warily eyed the Chimaeras. Then, unexpectedly, her eyes shot up at the crowds… She searched them quickly with her eyes, but then, she seemed to stop and looked back at the Minister.

"Now," said Kingsley. "The judges are, admirably, Professor McGonagall, Hogwarts Headmistress; Professor Karkaroff, or Durmstrang; Madame Maxime of Beauxbatons Academy; Charles Weasley, who was kind enough to support dragons for the last Tournament, and now the Chimaeras; and, lastly, Ludo Bagman, from the Ministry itself."

There was a fair amount of cheering, and then some boy from Beauxbatons yelled, "Hey, that isn't fair! Charlie Weasley is Ginny Weasley's brother, and _she's _in the Tournament!"

Angrily, more shouts were yelled, but Kingsley looked unaffected. "I'm aware of the situation, and, however, it does not affect me. Mr. Weasley, I assure, will score fairly." He turned to the champions, his blue robes swishing. "Now, scores will be added in the order you arrive as well as how you get there. Once someone uses a spell, you are not allowed to use it again, else points will be taken off. If you have not managed to get past the Chimaeras in one hour, the challenge is over. The first to get the Sorting Hat wins ten extra points to their final score, supported by the judges."

Ludo Bagman bounced on his toes and waved. "Hey!" someone yelled from the crowd, "Didn't you used to be the Beater for the Wimbourne Wasps?"

Ludo Bagman, looking pleased, said, "Yes, yes, I did! When I was - "

"Thank you, Mr. Bagman," said Kingsley sharply but kindly. "Now, on my whistle, champions, one – two – _BLEEP!_"

Ginny, Clementine, and Kirk all raced forward. They all paused before the menacing Chimaeras, which were growling at them. Casting grim looks at Clementine and Kirk, Ginny (she didn't get in Gryffindor for nothing), took a daring step toward a Chimaera. It swiped at her, and it's clawed hand clawed across her arm and base of her neck. Hermione screamed as Ginny fell backwards from the force, onto her back, groaning. Harry had apparently jumped up without realizing. Moaning loudly, Ginny managed to sit up. Clementine was now trying to Stun a Chimaera; the most she'd made it done so far was topple over for a second and then stand upright, not allowing Clementine to pass.

Ginny was wincing and her hand was pressed against above a spot just above her heart, where stains of red where appearing on her shirt. Kirk, having noticed this, was carefully looking at the Chimaera, then back at Ginny, as if unsure what to do.

Then, suddenly, as if an idea had hit hear, Ginny took her wand and tapped herself on the head, causing her to completely… Disappear? No, she hadn't disappeared. She'd just done a Disillusionment Charm.

Nobody could see where Ginny was, considering she was blending in with her surroundings. Everyone held their breaths for a distinct few moments until the Chimaera swiped at air and there was sharp cry of pain, and then Ginny reappeared on the ground, long gashes now on her cheeks. Looking worse then before, but more determined, Ginny stood up. By now, though, Clementine had figured out it could smell. Turning to a nearby rock, Clementine Transfigured it into a pig, which she made a slice movement with her wand at, and a bloody slice identical to the wand movement appeared. The Chimaera closest to it was the only one not paying attention to a bloody, banged up Ginny. Clementine scooted past the Chimaeras, which were now growling at her, instead; she dived towards the hat, and Ginny, taking this as a golden opportunity, darted past as well. Kirk looked mildly confused before he took after them as well, though he was stopped by the Chimaera in the middle.

It was Clementine and Ginny, in a mad rush for the Hat; Clementine had a few second lead… Those few seconds were all that she needed…

Clementine made a swipe, and the Sorting Hat was gripped in her hand. The Beauxbatons Academy students screamed loudly as Clementine held up the hat, which stayed silent. Ginny, panting, from both injuries, dropped to her knees, being extremely tired. She was bleeding profusely now, the most injured out of Clementine and Ginny. Kirk, looking somewhat desperate, was now just trying to get out from the Chimaeras. He didn't want to be stuck in there for another half-an-hour.

Finally, he yelled, _"Impedimenta!" _The Chimaera froze, looking angry, struggling, but as it was about to come free, Kirk dove past it and only got a nip from its claws on his shoulder.

Kirk, breathless, joined Clementine and Ginny, the latter of which was bent over on the ground, her face as red as her hair.

People came down from the stands that had brought the Chimaeras in; they looked strong, with thick bodies, and muscular arms, like Charlie. They, all at once, shouted Stupefy three times, for each Chimaera. Three Stunners worked like no one Stunner could. Taking ropes and tying in around their necks, they lead the Chimaeras back into the Forbidden Forest. Kingsley Shacklebolt, followed by Madam Pomfrey, quickly made their way across the now unblocked field to Ginny.

Ron was standing up beside Harry now. Harry, whom had been paying complete attention to Ginny with every fiber of his being, had not noticed this, as the fact of Hermione murmuring, "She'll be okay… She'll be okay… Oh, Ron's mum isn't going to like this… No, not at all…"

Charlie, Harry realized, was standing up like he and Ron, watching Ginny worriedly.

"Minister, d'you mind supporting Miss Weasley upright?" asked Madam Pomfrey, and Kingsley gingerly lifted up Ginny (who groaned), and Madam Pomfrey did some fancy spell-work that sealed up Ginny's cuts.

"I think you have a broken rib, dear," said Madam Pomfrey, "and after your scoring, you will come immediately to the Hospital Wing to fix your bones. Okay?"

"Okay," said Ginny weakly.

The audience turned towards the judges at this point. "Scoring for Clementine Bryony, who was the one to arrive at the Sorting Hat, and used Transfiguration to lure the Chimaera."

Karkaroff paused, and then shot up his wand: a thin misty white appeared, forming the number eight. Madame Maxime's too formed a number eight, as did Professor McGonagall, and Charlie Weasley. Ludo Bagman, however, gave her a nine.

"Just because she's pretty!" said Ron angrily.

"Miss Weasley," said Kingsley, "was second, used a Disillusionment Charm, which failed, and then used Miss Bryony's Transfiguration for herself."

Karkaroff gave her a five, to groaning from Hogwarts; Madame Maxime gave her a six, apparently being more kind then cold Karkaroff; McGonagall also gave a six; Charlie, however, gave her a seven, as did Ludo Bagman.

Ginny looked so embarrassed by her score she looked as though she might pass out, and she was leaning heavily on Madam Pomfrey.

"Kirk Williams was last to get past the Chimaeras, and used the Impediment Spell to get past the Chimaeras."

Karkaroff gave him an eight; furious, Madam Maxime gave Kirk a three; McGonagall, looking equally furious, gave Kirk a five; Charlie, looking downright murderous, gave him a five as well; and Ludo Bagman, sensing fun, gave him a seven.

Karkaroff looked really mad at the other judges.

"That leaves Miss Bryony of Beauxbatons with a fifty-one, Miss Weasley of Hogwarts with a thirty-one, and Mr. Williams of Durmstrang with twenty-eight." The Beauxbatons lot cheered the loudest in the stands, as Madam Pomfrey made her way up to the Hogwarts castle and the Hospital Wing with Ginny.

**A/N: And I realize some of you might hate me because Ginny's twenty points behind, but, it'll all make sense in the end… Hope you enjoyed! )**

**Next chapter: The Champions get the Clue for the second task… **


	14. The Portkey and the Boggart

**Sorry for the long wait! I always need free time from my homework and a good idea to write, so it's hard for me to find time. Thanks for all the reading and reviews!**

Harry joined Ginny in the Hospital Wing shortly afterwards, before Madam Pomfrey decided it was time to close the wards for the night. Although Ginny's wounds were not permanent, she had a couple broken ribs, and her deep scars were still healing, rather painfully.

"Hi, Harry," Ginny greeted Harry warily, as if she was embarrassed to see him.

"Hullo," said Harry, in a much more cheerful, warm, and enthusiastic voice.

"I can't believe how horrible I did," said Ginny, sadly looking at her hands and not at Harry's face.

Harry, deeply shocked, replied, "Ginny, you weren't that bad! Just because you were the only one brave enough to go and face the Chimaeras yourself…"

Ginny gave him a sad little smile. "Sure, Harry. Yet, I'm seventeen! You were fourteen when you competed in the Tournament, and you tied for first! You were superb!"

"But only because Voldemort wanted me, and his Death Eater Barty Crouch Jr. lead me into the trap, he helped me. Helped me figure out that I needed to Summon the broom, and he had to stage a talk with McGonagall about gillyweed so that Dobby would hear, and he made the Cup a Portkey that killed Cedric…"

"The Portkey didn't kill Cedric," said Ginny lightly.

Harry shot her a look. "You know what I meant, Gin."

Ginny gave a sort of wan smile, and looked up at Harry for the first time, murmuring, "I know." Harry didn't reply but turned away, blinking furiously. "Well," said Ginny, trying for a humorous tone, "I suppose it could've been worse."

"Could've been worse," Harry agreed. "I hope you win, Ginny."

She grinned at him; something he was unable to bear. Why wasn't _he _the one making _her _feel better with _his _brilliant smiles? Why did it _always _seem that everyone was cheering him up? Why didn't he ever have to power to make anyone else feel better?

Furious with himself for acting like this, furious that Ginny was in this competition that had haunted him for years; furious as he was, it brought tears to his eyes, and he had to turn away.

"Harry?" asked Ginny tentatively, unsurely. Apparently she did not know how to begin; she did not know what was bothering Harry, and he did not know if he wanted to tell her. "Are… are you okay?"

Suddenly, he was thinking about his fifth year at Hogwarts, when Mrs. Weasley had sent him an Easter egg, that had already been searched by Umbridge… And he remembered why he had felt so awful… And that brought him back to Sirius, and that made him feel worse…

"Harry, you know, whatever it is, you can talk to me about it," said Ginny slowly, but more confidently.

"I don't want to talk about it," growled Harry lowly.

He could feel Ginny lie down, as if sensing defeat, and he turned to her, and told her rather gruffly, "I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay," said Ginny, sounding sort of sad, "See you."

As Harry made his way up to the Gryffindor Common Room, he couldn't help but feel unsure. Had he been to rough with Ginny? He had a feeling he might've been. It wasn't her fault that Sirius had died. It wasn't her fault that _anyone _had died. She didn't deserve to get the blame on her, did she…?

Hermione and Ron were waiting by the fire, and apparently in a very deep snog. Harry, his cheeks red and a feeling of high embarrassment, cleared his throat loudly, and Ron and Hermione jumped apart as if the other had just been covered in Stinksap.

Harry sniggered. "Oh, real swift…" Ron threw a pillow at him, very red in the ears and purposely avoiding Hermione's eyes.

"So, um," said Hermione, suddenly turning a brilliant red, "how… erm… how is Ginny?"

Rather upset by the change of subject, Harry muttered, "Fine," unbelievably, and walked and sat down on the squishy armchair by the fire. He could feel Ron and Hermione exchanging glances behind his back and chose to ignore them, and continued looking into the fire's embers. "You know," said Harry softly, "sometimes I think Sirius's head is just going to appear in the fire."

He could feel them exchange another glance; a more worried one then the last. "Um… Harry," said Hermione, sounding confused, "Sirius is… _dead_."

"I know," said Harry gruffly, "I just wish he wasn't."

Hermione came and perched on the arm of Harry's chair, and then she patted his shoulder. "We know."

It was a rather awkward silence; no words were exchanged, for no one knew what to say to comfort the other, for it was all confused and muddled.

"Well," said Harry, "I'm going to bed…" _To leave you two to snog, _he thought in his head, but he didn't say it out loud. He didn't want them turning against him, when he felt so alone already.

Ginny was let out of the hospital wing at nine the next morning, looking rather worried, which Harry didn't fail to notice. As she sat down next to Harry, he was tempted to swing his arm around her shoulders, but did not, even though she put his hand comfortingly on his knee.

"McGonagall stopped me as I was coming back," said Ginny, and Ron and Hermione looked up (from each others' eyes). "Apparently, the Headmasters of each school got clues, and they were supposed to give them to us. It's confusing me, look…"

Harry peeked over the top of her head and read the clue, which was in fancy golden lettering on a blue piece of parchment.

_The things you may be standing on,_

_Are all of equal sides, _

_These may be found in the kitchen_

_Lying underneath your foot._

_If you happen to touch it,_

_You'll be shipped away_

_And you'll have to fight_

_What will scare you most in the end._

"It doesn't make any bloody sense," complained Ginny, handing the tiny piece of paper over to Hermione and Ron. Hermione squinted her eyes and read it quickly many times, and Ron glanced over her shoulder, read it once, and then resumed his position of leaning against the couch with his eyes closed.

"Hmm… Thing you may be standing on… But that's the floor, isn't it? How is the floor of all equal sides? A floor can be oddly shaped… Like Luna's house, how everything was rounded… And yeah, a floor is in the kitchen… Well, I hope so. I suppose you could make the floor invisible, but it would still be there, wouldn't it? 'If you happen to touch it, you'll be shipped away… Oh, at least that one's obvious… A Portkey, obviously, right? If you touch it, you're shipped away. Well, they mustn't go very far, or there'd be all these documents and such, so, no, I don't think you'll be on holiday to Australia, Ginny…" Ron sniggered, and Hermione continued as if she hadn't heard him. "You'll have to fight… What will scare you most in the end… Well, what scares you most, Ginny?"

Ginny turned bright red and suddenly became very interested on how the tips of her socks were actually navy and not black as she'd thought earlier.

"Well… so… the Portkey is a… floor? Okay, I still haven't worked out that bit. And… there's a boggart you'll have to face at the end, but there's got to be something more in between! That doesn't make much sense."

Ginny groaned. "Hermione, you're hurting my head, just after I got out of the Hospital Wing!" Hermione turned pink and shoved the piece of crinkled parchment into Harry's hand. Ginny giggled at this. "The Portkey floor. Well, how am I supposed to get _across _the floor, then? If it's a giant Portkey?" Ginny giggled again.

Hermione looked disrupted. "I don't know!" she said, irritated. "That's what's bothering me – I have no idea!"

"That's a first," whispered Harry in Ginny's ear, and Ginny whacked his arm. In the moment, they had forgotten about the awkwardness that had passed between them in the Hospital Wing, and when it suddenly came back to him, Harry wished it hadn't happened at all.

Hermione groaned again, snatched the parchment back from Harry's open fist, and began to read it again. Ron looked at Hermione, looked at the clue, and then looked back at Ginny. "Great, now I won't get a good snog till - "

Quickly and impatiently, Hermione gave Ron and kiss on the lips, but pulled away just as he started to get into it, looking back at the parchment. Ron threw up his hands.

"Great, now I won't get a good snog till - "

Growling, Hermione stood up and took the parchment with her, storming out through the portrait hole, surely to go to the library. "Real smart, Ron," snickered Ginny, leaning her head against Harry's shoulder as if to make him think she was the luckiest person alive.

Ron snarled at her. "Right, Ginny, because Harry's… because – Harry's… _Harry_."

Ginny snorted. "Thanks for clarifying that one up, Ron, I couldn't of figured that one out myself."

Ron gave her a nasty look before heading up to the boy's dorms, and then turned back, rather confusedly, and said, "Wait… it's nearly ten o'clock in the morning. Why on Merlin's ruddy left shoe am I going to _bed_?"

Grunting, Ron followed Hermione's path out the portrait hole as Harry and Ginny laughed in his wake.

"Right laugh, your brother," said Harry, now putting her arm around her shoulders.

Ginny smiled. "Yeah. He's not so bad, if you get to know him a bit."

Harry laughed. "Yeah, better then the way Draco Malfoy struck me when I first met him." He did a mockery of Draco when he'd asked to be his friend, and not hanging out with the wrong sort. And in a deep, drawling, manly voice completely unlike his own, Harry said, "I think I can choose the wrong sort for myself, thanks," thus leaving Ginny in peals of laughter.

"Right, Harry," said Ginny. "You sound like… Like - " Ginny laughed even harder, clutching the stitches in her sides. Sensing weakness, Harry began to tickle her, so that she laughed even harder.

"Harry – Harry… Stop!" she breathed, breathless from laughter and already aching. "I've just broken my ribs from a bloody chimaera and you're _tickling_ – stop, stop! – me…"

Harry stopped tickling her, his face lit-up with a big grin as she panted, trying to catch her breath. "Seeing me defenseless is the only way to make you smile, I see?" said Ginny sweetly, and Harry looked at her a split second and realized what she was going to do.

"Ginny – no!" said Harry. Ginny began to tickle Harry; yet, Harry sat there and acted like he felt nothing.

"Why aren't you laughing your arse off?" squealed Ginny.

"Not ticklish," said Harry.

"Surely, you must have a ticklish spot!" said Ginny, and she took off his shoes and peeled off his socks, and then began to tickle his feet.

Harry's face did not betray him; it was still flat and expressionless; though his eyes were dancing with laughter as Ginny struggled to make him laugh.

Suddenly Ginny had a mischievous glint in her eye, and she leaned in, and instead of tickling Harry, kissed him right on the lips. Harry spluttered against her, and she pulled away laughing. "That's… that's not tickling!" said Harry.

"No," admitted Ginny, "would you prefer that instead?"

Harry grinned sheepishly, and Ginny kissed him again.

**Fluffy ending, sorry, had to end it somewhere… **

**Does anyone have any guesses to what the clue could really mean? It isn't very complex, really, just… hmm. Well, it's sort of the floor. Anyone know what type of floor? If you're the first person to get it right, I'll dedicate the next chapter to you (just for fun)! And now there's one hundred reviews for this story! Really, I'm shocked… It really is amazing!**

**Keep in mind this is not beta-ed... Sorry if there's any mistakes, I just like to get the chapters out as fast as I can.**

**Okay, I have a question… During the second task, it's much more interesting then the Chimaeras, and only the people in the Tournament are going to be able to see what's going on; the people in the audience won't be able to. So… d'you want me to stay in Harry's point of view, or go to one of the champions (preferably Ginny), where all the action will be? Please tell me, I need your input! Thanks. **

**Hope you enjoyed!**


	15. A RedColored Terrier

**Okay! This chapter is dedicated to **_**hannahannah**_**, who got the riddle right first! (But they don't know it in the story…) Also, **_**the-4gotten-marauder, **_**and **_**bch1993 **_**got the riddle right as well. Good job! Thanks for your input, and I hope you enjoy this next installment!**

It was only mid-November, and already snow was beginning to fall over the tops of the Hogwarts castle and over the grounds. It was so that Herbology was canceled for that day; the students got a free period (Ron was immensely overjoyed).

"Free time!" said Ron back in the Common Room, lying on the couch and putting his feet on the armrest. Hermione took one of the two fluffy arm chairs by the fire, leaving Harry and Ginny trying to squish into the last one until they finally gave up and Harry tugged Ginny onto his lap instead.

"No, not really," Hermione contradicted Ron. "We should be studying for our N.E.W.T.s; they're not too far away!"

"Try a little over seven months," snorted Ron.

"Well," said Hermione, "We have to figure out Ginny's riddle, at any rate."

"Don't say that!" snapped Ron. "Ginny's riddle… Ginny's Tom Riddle, I don't like it, it's too similar. Call it… Ginny's… blue."

"Ginny's blue?" asked Ginny coolly, with one eyebrow raised. The Tom Riddle remark seemed to not affect her.

"Yeah!" said Ron, sounding completely amazed, like he had just created the best title in the world. "Because the parchment is… blue…" His big goofy smile vanished as Harry, Ginny, and Hermione gave him incredulous looks.

"How about Ginny's _clue_, Ron?" asked Hermione, and Ron's ears turned red.

"Um… yeah… I suppose that'd work…"

Hermione threw her rucksack to the side, then stood up and went to Ginny's and started to sift through it. Ginny, Harry, and Ron watched her like birds as she fingered around the bottom, and then as her arm came out with the piece of now rumpled blue parchment, clamped tightly between three fingers. "Well, does anyone want to come with me to solve it?" Ron immediately stood up, but Harry and Ginny looked hesitant.

"Oh, well, since it's my clue, I suppose we should," said Ginny, and Harry followed her as she followed Ron and Hermione.

They made their way through the castle until they reached the fruit bowl that was the entrance to the kitchens, and Hermione tickled it, opening the entrance to the kitchens. Immediately, house-elves came scurrying forward, muttering words of, "Would you like food?"

Ron graciously accepted some buns and coffee; Hermione, however, nodded hello and no, and looked down at the floor.

She was, of course, standing on the floor.

"'Er-my-knee," said Ron through a mouthful of bread and coffee, "you're just lookinb at fah fwoor."

"Not _just _the floor!" said Hermione excitedly. "Ginny, don't you see!" She was nodding her head vigorously, shaking the note in her hand. "They must've made Portkey tiles, to transport you somewhere – and then you must face different tasks, and at the end, you'll face a Boggart – because obviously, if you fear someone dead, they can't kill that person and bring them there, that's against the law, obviously. And then… yes! If you step on the wrong tile… You have to fight something else." Her voice had gotten low and mysterious – very much like Professor Trelawney's had when she was predicting Harry's death years ago.

Ginny shook her head. "Hermione, d'you know how long it would take for them to make that many Portkeys?"

"Well, there's only three of you! So, say, there's a width of three tiles by five tiles, that's fifteen, and four of them are Portkeys, and that's only twelve Portkeys made, and if the entire Portkey area at the Ministry works on them, they should have them done in a moment's time!"

"Right," said Ginny, looking as though she didn't want to believe it. "Well… that's barking mad. I'm going back up to the Common Room, I don't have many free periods anymore."

And she marched off hotly, Harry scurrying behind her to keep up.

Ron and Hermione were alone in the kitchen, with around a hundred house-elves staring at them with their big, round eyes.

"Would you like something to eat?" whispered one of them, as if he were telling them a great secret.

"Now, really," said Hermione, "why don't you… take a break, or something?"

The house-elf nearest her eyed her slowly. "Corky remembers yous, Miss," said the house-elf, whose name was apparently Corky. "Yous was the one who supported the free-elf, Dobby! Dobby was a disgrace! Disgrace to our race - "

"DON'T!" said Ron loudly, Corky turned on him growling. "Don't talk about Dobby like that! He saved our lives! _And he lost his_!"

The house-elves were stunned into silence. "Good-bye, Mister, Miss!" said another elf, and quickly shoved them out the door, where Hermione and Ron stood for a moment, shocked.

"Aren't very nice, are they?" muttered Ron, and before he could utter another word, Hermione's lips were on his, and she was kissing him full on the mouth.

Ron enthusiastically replied, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her closer, and her arms encircled his neck.

"Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, I advise you not to continue, as Mr. Filch is coming this way…" chimed Professor Sprout in passing, and just moments after Ron and Hermione pulled apart, Mrs. Norris rounded the corner, followed by her caretaker. Sighing in relief as he growled at them and left, unable to find them breaking any rules, Hermione and Ron hurried quickly back to the Common Room.

"You will now learn to Transfigure yourself!" said Professor McGonagall in Transfiguration, which was the next class Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny had.

McGonagall was walking around the room, changing parts of people's bodies to resemble different animals as she spoke.

"It's particularly hard, mind you, much harder then Transfiguring something else," said McGonagall. "Once a student tried to make himself an owl, but it didn't work completely; his hair turned into feathers and his eyes became rounder, but he was quite scary looking… Of course, Madam Pomfrey sorted it out in the end." There was a few nervous glances in friends' directions. "But, don't worry, it doesn't happen often. The spell is _Resemblio _and then the name of the animal. Five minutes practice, and then we'll show some demonstrations.

"Begin!"

"_Resemblio Owl!" _said Hermione loudly; apparently she had trouble thinking of another animal at the moment.

Hermione was covered in tan feathers, and Ron roared with laughter. Angrily, Hermione said the counter curse, _"Variancio!" _

The feathers disappeared and Ron looked stunned and angry both. Harry laughed, then said, _"Resemblio Stag!"_

Harry grew antlers out of the top of his head.

Ginny, learning from the other two's mistakes, decided to try for something a bit smaller. _"Resemblio Terrier!" _

And Ginny shrunk, and was immediately covered in fur. Harry still had antlers. Laughing, Harry muttered to himself, _"Variancio." _The antlers shrunk back into Harry's head, so it seemed; Hermione looked desperate to tears as she saw Ginny's little puppy-self prance around the room, a very distinct looking red terrier puppy.

McGonagall looked startled as the puppy bit the bottom of her cloak. "Who Self-Transfigured themselves into a terrier?"

Ginny-the-Puppy yipped angrily in response.

"Oh, right," said Professor McGonagall. _"Varancio."_

Ginny's little puppy grew to be her full self, who was now rubbing her ribs blearily. "Never… ever… again," murmured Ginny. "That hurts, that puppy was so _tiny_…"

The class laughed, and then got back to work. Some boy that was actually from Ginny's year yelped suddenly as he was changed into a toucan; the person next to him changed him back quickly, looking a bit pink.

"Effing – terrier…" muttered Ginny, taking her place next to Harry at the table again.

"Aren't you even going to change back?" whispered Harry. "You were a cute little dog!"

Ginny growled, and then Ron leaned over and murmured, "I liked you better as a little puppy, Ginny. That way, I'll never have to listen to your infinite talk."

Ron laughed softly as Ginny whacked him on the arm.

**Yes, I know this chapter is short, but I just couldn't seem to find anything appropriate to fit next. Sorry! Hopefully the next chapter will be longer. If you want to review, you can! Thanks! **


	16. Christmas at the Burrow

In answer to mimosa: yeah, I thought about that whole Animagus thing while I was writing the lesson

Y In answer to _mimosa_: yeah, I thought about that whole Animagus thing while I was writing the lesson. The only reason why I didn't stop is because in the Goblet of Fire, Krum tries to Transfigure himself into a shark, and even though it didn't work, didn't they mention somewhere that it was seventh-year level? So, I thought they could practice human-transfiguration, but I thought of it as they get to choose what they want to be, unlike an Animagus, where you get like 'your true animal' or whatnot, like it takes the shape, most of the time, as their Patronus, human transfiguration is I thought of as an animal-choice. So, yes, sorry about the confusion.

Notes: Okay, I know I haven't updated in awhile and it is pretty unforgivable. But am I the only one dv fwho has kind of lost interest in Harry Potter? I know there are many people who have switched obsessions to _Twilight_. So, I really am sorry. I do want to finish all my incomplete stories so I hope to get more chapters up sooner. I'm sorry if this chapter is slow, but I'm trying to get back into this story's flow. This is my third draft of this chapter, I've redone it. Please review, it will make my day!

XXX

Ginny and Harry arrived at the Burrow for Christmas, their breaths short and faces laughing. The Yule Ball had just ended; it was quite early in the morning on Christmas morning, and they'd just arrived from Professor McGonagall's Floo. Walking stealthily past the kitchen, they tried not to wake anyone up. The entire house was sleeping; no pots were being washed by what appeared to be thin air, no breakfast being cooked without supervision. They went up the stairs, passing rooms where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley slept and Percy until they reached Ginny's room.

Deciding he was going to kiss her goodnight, Harry followed Ginny into her room and shut the door softly behind him. Ginny took her shawl off from her shoulders; her maroon dress sparkled in the dim light from the moon. The top sparkled with glitter, and it led way into a puffier skirt of the same color. Ginny looked once to the side before turning to him. "Hermione's not in the room," said Ginny, her eyes wide and laughing.

"Great," said Harry, "she must be in Ron's room. How am I supposed to go in there?"

Ginny giggled, but Harry just gave her a look. "Sleep on Hermione's cot."

Harry gave it a look. It was much like the one in Ron's room, except this one had a yellow quilt on top and it looked rather girly. "Ugh, fine," he said, taking off his shoes, tie, and his robe. He threw them at the bottom of the cot; the emerald green tie floated to the top of the pile. He leaped onto the bed so that it moved a bit before taking off his glasses and going to sleep.

XXX

He awoke in the morning to a loud bang like a gunshot as Ginny's bedroom door opened. "Ginny! Harry! Get up! Mum's coming!"

Harry had gotten out of bed so quickly it was as though his head had fallen off. Ron was standing in the door; his cheeks flushed red and his arms wide open. Pushing past Ron, still in his dress clothes, he raced up to the top floor to change before he saw Mrs. Weasley. Hermione was sitting, disheveled, on Ron's bed and she was brushing her knotted hair out of her face. "I'll leave," she drawled sleepily, and as soon as she left Harry dressed for the day.

Downstairs, Christmas breakfast was already bustling. Mrs. Weasley was flipping bacon on the pan with her hand; Mr. Weasley was trying to cook toast in the toaster he had recently gotten from Hermione. Next to the toaster was a stack of blackened toast that Mr. Weasley had messed up on. Hermione was looking at him hesitantly as if she wanted to help but wasn't quite sure how. Finally she seemed to take pity on him and went over to the toaster to explain how to set it.

Harry sat down at the table next to Ginny; she shot him a glance and so did Ron, but Harry liked Ginny's a lot better. Ron's was cold; what had he believed when he'd say Harry in Ginny's room? It wasn't like Harry was even in Ginny's bed; he'd been in Hermione's…

Celestina Warbeck was screeching from the wizard radio; Fleur, who Harry had just realized was there, was giving it nasty looks but not imitating Celestina (Harry figured Bill had warned her not to) in a falsetto. Using her wand, Mrs. Weasley lifted the plates so that they flew over to a place on the table. She then followed suit with the food.

"George and Charlie will be here soon, but we'll start without them," Mrs. Weasley began, "and Teddy and Andromeda are coming at ten, Harry."

Teddy. He was the godson that Harry had only seen a glimpse of at Tonks's and Remus's funeral. He had been sending store-bought things to Teddy via owl, and Andromeda sent letters and pictures in return, but to see Teddy for real was what Harry really wanted. Ginny gave him a warm smile, and Harry smiled back. His day seemed considerably cheerier.

George and Charlie arrived not a few minutes later and joined them at the table. It was very warm and cozy in the Burrow; although snow was gently falling outside, the fire crackled in the corner and the room was humming, even though something seemed off. Harry knew it was the Weasley's first Christmas without Fred; he knew how that felt. He carefully watched each of the Weasleys' faces; each seemed carefully constructed, as though they were forcing themselves to enjoy.

After breakfast, they went into the den, where the large Christmas tree was. This year, there was a star on top instead of a Petrified garden gnome. Hermione, Ron, Percy, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had done the tree up yesterday. Giant bulbs were hanging off branches, and on some where tiny framed pictures of each of the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione. The tree, complete with messily done tinsel, looked very imperfect; in some way, it seemed Muggle-like.

Under the present were a stack of presents; there wasn't as much as Harry had remembered seeing there before, but there was some. George reached underneath and began throwing presents to different people; Harry barely caught his. They all tore them open at the same time; Harry's was chocolates from the Mrs. Weasley, along with some nut brittle. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry, and Mrs. Weasley smiled at him.

Harry had gotten Ginny a pair of earrings. They were silver with rubies; everyone was watching them out of the corner of their eye when he put them on for her. When he had finished, his cheeks were pink and the tension had lessened.

Once all the presents were opened, Teddy and Andromeda arrived. Andromeda's nose was pink from the cold and she had on gray earmuffs with a long gray coat. In her arms was teddy; he was almost a year old now. When Harry got up to greet them, he couldn't help but immediately look at Teddy's hair; it was a bright purple.

Andromeda sighed. "He's been changing his hair daily now," she said. "Yesterday it was a nice orange and now it's purple!"

Ginny and Hermione laughed appreciatively in the background.

"Here, Harry, hold him, please, while I take off my coat," said Andromeda, handing Teddy to Harry. Harry took him without a moment's hesitation; he was heavier than Harry would have thought; and his eyes were the same shape as Lupin's.

Harry sat back in his seat next to Ginny, putting Teddy on his lap. Ginny smiled at Teddy and brushed his purple bangs.

Harry smiled at her; he liked seeing Teddy and Ginny together – and he had an idea who to add for another arm on his clock.

XXX

"RON! YOU…AH! HOW DARE YOU!" Ginny hollered at Ron, half of her face frozen by the splitting of the snowball Ron had just thrown at her. George and Percy were laughing in the background; they were on Ron's team, whereas Ginny's team consisted of she, Hermione, and Harry.

Hermione's gloved hands formed a snowball of her own, but it sailed through the air and missed Ron completely. The boys howled with laughter and Hermione scowled. "Muggle snowballs don't work in this game, Hermione," chastised George, and with his own wand he quickly formed snowballs, Percy and Ron helping them. Once they had a tall pyramid, they each took their wands and made a dragging motion towards the other team. Ginny, Hermione, and Harry screamed, the snowballs pelting after them.

Suddenly Harry shouted from behind a mist of white, "_Expelliarmus!_" The other team's wands flew from their hands, yelling in outrage. Making one the old fashioned Muggle way, George's snowball was aimed at Ginny.

But Harry got in the way, falling back into Ginny with a loud thud.

"Good one, Harry!" said Ginny, picking herself up to kiss him.

Ron groaned loudly on the other side of the yard. "That's it, I quit!"

As everyone slowly struggled inside, Harry and Ginny's lips were met in a smile.

Okay, I really do not favor this chapter at all, but I had such bad writer's block I had to come up with some connecting piece. Please review!


	17. Melting Ice

Author's Notes: Does it help if I say I'm mad at myself for not updating?

Didn't think so.

* * *

After the warm and fuzzy Christmas that had just happened at the Burrow, school seemed dull. Harry was preparing for his N.E.W.T.'s, studying like mad. Ginny helped him a lot – even though, for studying, it was probably less helpful.

In return for her "tutoring," Harry would help her prepare for the second task, which was only two months away – the first of February.

Slytherin and Ravenclaw hogged the Quidditch field – they were competing before the next task.

Harry ate dinner quickly, not feeling to sit around, and Ginny quickly joined him. This had double bonuses – for one, Ron and Hermione could be alone, and so could they.

For a while, Harry sat with his legs crossed on where his pillow would be if he hadn't thrown it on the floor to make room. Ginny lay sprawled on the other end while they tried to get through Transfiguration homework together.

"McGonagall's made this difficult," grumbled Ginny. They were trying to Transfigure ice cubes into small candies. They hadn't been thinking properly when they first tried it; the ice cubes had kept melting before they'd thought to put a Freezing Charm on them.

Eventually, Harry had gotten an ice cube to transform into a full candy, although his bed was slightly sticky in the area they had been practicing on.

Then they'd shoved the books off the bed carelessly, and Ginny had pounced. Harry had fallen back from her sudden weight; his head had knocked against the wall loudly.

His hands rested lightly on her hips while her fingers fumbled at the buttons on his button-up shirt. She was finally able to open it up, not even breaking the kiss to look at what her fingers were doing. His shirt flaps folded open; the slightly rumpled mess of his white undershirt was clearly visible around his muscles.

It was his turn; his legs stretched out along the bed underneath her, and she straddled him, still leaning down, still kissing him. He had to open his eyes to peer at the buttons on the top of her emerald green shirt. There were only three, but it annoyed him enough.

"If you straighten that collar," he mumbled, breaking the kiss, "you'll look like a vampire."

She giggled girlishly. It was unlike her, but at this particular moment, Harry didn't care.

She continued to kiss him, laughing when he poked her in her ticklish ribs, until a cough interrupted them.

"Vell, I doubt that vis is appropriate, but I haf come with a message from McGonagall – the Tournament champions are to report to her office to discuss last minute details."

It was Kirk Williams. If nothing had made him angry before, this had certainly set Harry off.

"Um, okay," said Ginny breathlessly, getting off the bed and following Kirk out – but not before he sent Harry a victorious smile.

It made Harry angry – what did he think he was winning?

Harry hadn't even noticed Ginny's rumpled appearance – her messy hair and rumpled clothes, and the fact that the top of her shirt was unbuttoned.

Grabbing his discarded books from the floor, Harry joined Ron and Hermione in the common room.

"Aw, blimey, mate," Ron groaned from his spot on the couch, "button your shirt!"

A few first year girls giggled at him, and Harry hastily buttoned up his shirt, missing a few, before Hermione took pity on him and flicked her wand.

His shirt looked crisp and neatly-buttoned.

"Thanks, Hermione," said Harry in relief, sitting next to Ron.

"Ginny came through here with that stupid bloke," grumbled Ron.

"Yeah," Harry said shortly, not wanting to go into detail of what Kirk had interrupted. Ron seemed to know, anyway. He was mumbling curse words mixed along with his sister's and Harry's names.

When Harry went to bed that night, his dreams were full of Ginny.

* * *

I don't like it, but I really want to finish this. Another filler, I guess. The next chapter will be the second task. Please review, anyway.


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